


A Bad Thing Turned Into a Good Thing

by Sobaru



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Love Triangles, Slight cringe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:33:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 38,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23824621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sobaru/pseuds/Sobaru
Summary: This fic is OLD.Originally, prior to my switch to AO3, I was a FanFiction.net user, and this is the only work I had there that I'm somewhat attached to. I'm currently, as of April 2020, trying to delete that account, so I wanted to transfer a slightly edited and "updated" version of this story to AO3, since I'm still sorta proud of it??? I'm like that one parent that hangs drawing from their toddler on the fridge, even though they think it's ugly and that it sucks.Anyways, while the story will be/has been looked over, it might still have that "I-was-written-by-a-15-year-old" feel throughout it, especially in it's chapter titles.So...please have mercy on my crack ship fic from early 2016.－OG FF.Net Description: "Everything was well in Juvia world; she and Gray were happily dating, and she'd be coming of age soon. Everything was good with the world. Well, it had been; then Natsu delivered some news that destroyed Juvia's world. She thought this was the end of her happiness. But as it turned out; this was only the beginning. Pairing: Navia. Rated T cause I decided to make Natsu a potty mouth."
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Juvia Lockser
Comments: 29
Kudos: 47





	1. The Start Of Everything

**Author's Note:**

> If you're reading this, then you're likely reading the story too, so:
> 
> A.) Thank you for your support ㅠㅠ  
> and  
> B.) I'm so sorry for what you're about to experience.

_It was everything she could've wanted._

_The full moon was shining down upon the guild hall, the sky showcasing the stars. The live music played on as mages and wizards danced together._

_It was everything Juvia'd ever wanted._

_The doors bust open as two men crash a party they'd been invited to in the first place. They stare Juvia down to her knees._

_"Juvia," They scream. "We need an answer!"_

* * *

Juvia woke up tired and stiff.

She knew she and Gajeel should've stayed at her place that at least had a pullout couch, but Gajeel's had been closer and he could barely walk. Juvia knew she shouldn't be bitter for sleeping on the floor, seeing as he'd been injured greatly and more than entitled to his own bed. Then again, Gajeel hadn't exactly provided any sort of commodity for her. She huffed, getting up slowly to approach the sleeping man, who looked more comfortable and at peace than she felt.

"Gajeel," Juvia shook his shoulder. "We have to get back to guild and report to the master! Juvia knows you are tired but let's go!"

Gajeel gently pushed her hands away, yawning as he sat up slowly. "You just wanna see Gray." He smirked as she made a face. "Fine, fine. Just patch me up again and we can go!"

Juvia complied as she cleaned and re-dressed his wounds. What Gajeel said was only partly true. Well….no, it was spot on, but either way they _did_ have to report back to Master Makarov. And, well, see Gray of course. Juvia smiled as she worked on Gajeel's bandages. Not too long ago, after the last mission she'd done with Gray, he'd finally seemed to connect with her. Had it been her fighting? Her determination to save him? Perhaps the fact that Juvia had nearly died? She didn't know, but as of then they'd been together. Gray was more open and kind to her, and she felt a lot less clingy too. She no longer had any rivals; or at least she no longer felt insecure about them. 

Everything seemed unreal.

Juvia and Gajeel walked back to the guild at a slow pace. Juvia couldn't bring herself to leave Gajeel behind, even though he kept insisting it was fine. As much as she wanted to see Gray, she was not one to leave her friend behind, specially in his current state. She'd offered to split the reward 60/40, seeing as he needed the money more than she did, and that he'd need to pay for all his medical bills after the beating he took. Gajeel had refused. Juvia smiled at the recollection. He may be one of the most powerful and intimidating wizards in Fairy Tail, but he was a sweet heart under all the metal and scary grins. She was honored to have a friend like Gajeel looking out for her.

As they walk into the guild, they're greeted with warm smiles and loud salutations. Gajeel's immediately pulled into a hug by Levy, which was short, but very sweet. Juvia smiled from ear to ear. As she left her teammate in the hands of his girlfriend, Juvia made her way to the bar. She greeted Mira as she sat down.

"Juvia, glad to see you alive and well!" Mira smiled. She handed Juvia a drink with a wink.

Juvia gave her a big smile, "Mira you read Juvia's mind!" She took a sip, "Have you seen Gray-sama around today?"

Mira shook her head, "He left for a job with Natsu shortly after you and Gajeel left. I heard that the job was easy though, so maybe he'll be back by this afternoon!" She smirked at Juvia. "Why?You two got anything planned?"

Juvia blushed with laugh. "Nothing like that, Mira. Juvia wanted to take Gray-sama to the library today."

"How come?"

"Juvia wanted to talk to Gray-sama about the 19th Moon ceremony." Mira waited for Juvia to elaborate. "The 19th Moon ceremony happens on June 19th, when the moon turns red. When a water mage comes of age, they are to stand beneath the moon and give themselves to it, as the moon is our Lady of the Tides, and a symbol of power to Water Mage's. This year Juvia has come of age, or will be by then, so it's her turn to partake in the ceremony."

"Oh, so it's sorta like your birthday's coming up then!" Mira peeped excitedly.

"Yes, though Juvia's more concerned with the ceremony. There's a lot that goes into the ritual of the 19th Moon. The mage has to be in perfect conditions, and the ceremony requires a person who loves the Mage to recite the incantation. Usually it's the parents that recite it, but Juvia lost her parents a long time ago, so Gray-sama offered to help out!"

"Woah, so I guess it all worked out in the end with Gray then! I'm so glad!"

Before Juvia could thank her, the guild doors slam open. Natsu stalked in with an energy that didn't match his loud entrance. His cheeks sunk into his bones and his eyes looked tired, though Juvia didn't think anyone else noticed, seeing as he was still smiling and returning greetings. Gray and Happy walked in, followed shortly by Lucy, Erza, and Erza's ridiculous luggage wagon.

Juvia got up and walked towards him with a smile. The closer Juvia got, the more tired Gray looked, even if he too was smiling warmly. His eyes met hers, and Juvia instantly felt her heart beat faster. She stretched her arms out and he walked into them laying his face on the crook of her neck. Gray had been growing a lot lately, so he had to bend down in order to do that. Juvia didn't mind getting on her tippy toes to hug him though. "Welcome home Gray-sama!" She sighed into his hair.

"Its nice to be back to normal." He responded.

As she lets go, Juvia felt Gray flinch. He excused himself to go report to the Master. As Juvia watched him leave, she realized there was another sets of eyes on him aside her own. She turned to Natsu, who didn't seem to sense her gaze on him. His eyes bore holes in the back of Gray's head, like he wanted nothing more than for it to explode. Something about Natsu's clenched jaw and stiff stance made Juvia worry, even if spats between the two were usual. Something was off today. She walked over to him, though his eyes stayed on Gray the whole time. She stood carefully behind him, practically feeling his anger radiating from him, but she pushed her concern aside for now. She leaned in and as gently as she could, she blew on Natsu's ear.

He screamed. She laughed.

"OI, JUVIA WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA!?" He flushed, pouting as he turned to face her.

"Natsu was staring at Gray-sama!" She made a hopeless face at him. They'd gotten closer since she and Gray had started dating, to the point were she considered Natsu a dear friend. "Could it be Natsu has become Juvia's love rival?"

He gagged. "No way! You keep him!" 

Juvia sighed mockingly, shrugging as she made her way past him. "If Natsu says so, Juvia supposes she has to keep dating Gray-sama now." She started walking away when he grabbed her by the elbow "Natsu?" He looked even more tired now that he wasn't smiling or brooding.

"Juvia can we actually talk for a second?" Juvia was about to say yes, but her voice was drowned by the sound of someone calling her name.

"Juvia! Are we still going to the library?" Gray made his way down the stairs and up to them, shooting Natsu a glare.

"Oh, how did Gray-sama know Juvia was going to take him to the library?" She tried pulling free from Natsu but he didn't budge. She didn't say anything but she could feel the air around the three of them getting more awkward and...dark? 

"Mirajane told me," Gray said as he forced Natsu's hand off her. He smiled like nothing had happened. "Shall we?"

"Yeah…" she laced her fingers with his, a little hesitant. He squeezed her hand with a handsome smile. She returned a beaming smile, her stomach filling with butterflies. "Oh, wait, Juvia didn't report back to Master!"

"I'll do it, rain woman." Gajeel calls out to her, no bite behind the nickname as he grins. "You go off and have fun."

"Really?" She eyes him suspiciously, still hanging onto Levy for support.

Sensing Juvia's concern, Levy speaks up. "Don't worry, Juv, I'll make sure he doesn't fall down the stairs." This earns the small mage a laugh from her boyfriend.

"Okay! Thank you, Levy, Juvia is counting on you!" She turns back to Gray.

As they make their way out the door, Juvia turns to say goodbye to Natsu. The words never make it out of her. Natsu was were they'd left him still, looking at the floor with an unreadable expression. Juvia's about to go back to him, but he catches hes looking, and waves her goodbye with a toothy grin.

It's a fake smile though, one Juvia used to know so well. _What's wrong, Natsu?_ She goes to say, but it comes out as "Bye-bye!" as the guild door closes behind her.

* * *

"I'm sorry we didn't find what you were looking for." Gray says as he smooths Juvia's hair.

The library they'd been aiming for had been closed, and to their luck, no other book store or library in town seemed to have what they were looking for.

"It's okay." She sighs. "Juvia just feels bad for wasting Gray-sama's time."

He laughs. "Hey! Time spent with you is not a waste of time." He was being very sweet. Juvia appreciates that.

"Gray-sama can come in for tea if he wants to, Juvia wouldn't mind!" She says as they reach her door.

His smile wavered. "Sounds tempting, but I'm very tired from the long trip so I just want to get home and sleep."

Juvia nods. She'd felt the same way last night. Not to mention she'd dragged him all over town looking for the stupid book. "Juvia understands, she'll let Gray-sama rest." She smiles and pulls him down for a kiss.

He seems to hesitate before pressing his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. There's rumbling in the distance. "Thunder?" Gray stretched his hand out to see if it was raining.

She nods once more. "Juvia can smell a storm coming. Gray-sama should go before he gets caught in the rain." She ushers him down the steps. "Juvia loves you, Gray-sama!" She calls out as he walks away.

He stops to face her. "...Love you too. Bye Juvia!" After a short wave, he continues down the street, not looking back again.

Juvia stood by the street for a minute as it started to rain, though she wasn't sure if this was the storm or her. She smacks her cheeks a couple times before heading back to her door. She was being silly. He had said he loved her, so she didn't know why her stomach was churning. _He didn't say 'I love you', he said 'love you.'_ _AND he hesitated_! She shook her head to disperse the thought. Those weren't that different. She needed to get a grip.

Her hand rests on her doorknob. With a deep breath, she collects herself. She was being paranoid, that's all.

As she steps inside, she almost pukes from the scream she releases.

"Oh, shit, sorry!" Natsu was standing there, dripping wet. At least he had the decency to look bashful.

She pants form her spot on the floor, her legs having failed her from the scare. "Juvia..." She gasps, trying to stabilize her breathing. "Is gonna kill you."

"I said I was sorry." He mumbles as he helps her up.

"What are you doing in Juvia's house?" She sighs in defeat as he pulls her to her feat. Her heart's pounding in her chest, and she's sweaty. Great.

"I told you I needed to talk to you, didn't I?" He said, his tone dropping an octave as he gets serious.

Juvia's bad feeling from before is getting harder to push away. "Yes, but that doesn't mean Natsu can barge into Juvia's home." She's trying her best to calm down. She looks down and frowns. "Natsu's going to ruin Juvia's wood floor."

"Juvia." His tone makes it clear that no attempt to change the subject will work.

"What?" She gulps weakly. 

When he first speaks what's on his mind, she laughs. _Haha, funny joke, Natsu._ But he insists, which annoys her. _That's not funny, why would you say such a thing to Juvia?_ And her denial goes on for a few minutes. She cleans up all the water he's tracked throughout her house, she gets him a towel to dry off, she even sets the pot to make some tea. And Juvia was fine. She was fine even when her carpet got ruined, and was fine when Natsu rejected her help and dried off himself, and she was fine when her shaky hands burned themselves on the kettle. She was even fine when she tripped due to dragging her feet, sending her mugs to a smashing death. 

It was when she remained on her spot, watching as Natsu cleaned up the broken peaces and the spilled chamomile, that she began to cry and finally processed what Natsu had said to her.

"Gray's been seeing another girl." 


	2. The End Of Their Thing

_Gray's been seeing another girl._

Juvia stood in silence, not wiping the tears that kept rolling from her eyes.

Natsu didn't know what to do. In retrospect he should've probably been gentler when breaking the news to Juvia. Now he didn't know what to say; while he was fully capable of mature conversation, his comfort and his forte were jokes. And how does one joke about something like this?

He got up to throw away the mug pieces, putting the towel he'd used on himself and the spilled tea in the kitchen sink. If it were his he'd throw it out, but not everyone hated doing the laundry like her did. He walked back to Juvia, gently guiding her to sit next to him on the couch. Their knees touched when he turned to face her.

Natsu would've rather she were a mess. Then he'd at least be able to hug her and calm her down. But her expression was cold and calculation, only betrayed by her eyes, so red and puffy it made the rest of her skin look paper white and thin. This was ten times worse than seeing either Erza or Lucy crying, for at least they were vocal while they wailed or sobbed. But Juvia's face was borderline illegible at the moment. If he was being honest, it was freaking him out because it'd been a while since she'd so much as frowned. She'd been all smiles and kind gestures a few weeks prior to her and Gray even getting together, which simply amplified the girls giddy aura. 

"Juvia…?" He tried.

He wished he hadn't said anything. As soon as she looked up at him, she snapped. It was as if seeing him had broken her concentration, and all that she'd been holding in came loose. She hiccuped as she cried, hiding behind one hand as she clutched her chest with the other. Every attempt she made to recompose herself was in vain, her nose now red too as she tried to keep it form running. Natsu had never, prior to this moment, thought of Juvia as weak or helpless. Yet now, he felt that if he touch her now...

His knuckles crack as he clenches his fist, storming towards the door. Gray was a dead man.

As he grabs the knob, Juvia throw her arms around him, pressing her forehead to his back. "Please don't hurt him." He can barely hear her. "Please don't hurt him, Natsu." She squeezes him, both of his arms trapped under hers. "Juvia knows you would never lie, but...Juvia can't bring herself to believe you."

"Juvia, I'm not lying."

"JUVIA KNOWS!" She screams, somewhat muffled by his shirt. "But, Juvia can't mean so little to Gray to be disregarded like this."

_'Gray.' Not 'Gray-sama'._ Natsu can feel her trembling as she presses her face to his back, and he doesn't know what to say.

So he does nothing.

Carefully, Natsu twists around so that Juvia's face rests on his chest instead. He slides down with his back against the door, bringing Juvia into his lap as they sit. He holds her close to him, her body leaving a lingering chill where her skin makes contact with his. He runs his fingers through her hair, and rocks her back and forward, attempting to desperately recall other things that Lucy or Happy would do when he'd get motion sick. It was not the same scenario, obviously, but he still pats her back softly, feeling almost proud as she relaxes into him.

Natsu listens to the rain as he matched his rocking with her breathing. The rain was harsh and unforgiving. He could hear it bringing hell to the streets and roofs of the town. basements or street level homes would surely be flooded tomorrow. He hoped somewhere out there, Gray would be scrambling to stop the water from entering his house.

"Natsu…"

He turned to her. Her gaze was lazy. He would be tired too after crying that much. "Yeah…?" He speaks softly, afraid of the usual volume of his voice.

"Why do you think Gray is seeing another girl?"

"I don't think we should talk about this tonight, Juvs." She reaches slowly for his cheek, her cold fingers a nice contrast to his blazing skin. He sighs into her hand and gives in. "Because," He choses his words with more care this time around. "While on this last job, me and Gray shared a room, and I woke up in the middle of the night to take a piss." Her body moves with her weak chuckle. "And I noticed he wasn't in the room. I thought he'd be in the bathroom then, but he wasn't there either, so I went looking for him." His brow twitches at the recollection. "And found him soon after. I saw him leave the bath house across from were we were staying. He was coming out of the girl's side."

She nods, her eyes closing as she drops her hand to her lap. He misses the coolness as soon as it's gone. "Juvia doesn't want to hear any more." 

She didn't look as pale anymore. She drifted to sleep with a serene look on her face, and had it not been for the sense of defeat he felt form her, he would've bought that she was fine.

* * *

"Juvia? Are you home?" Loud knocking echoed through the house.

She woke with a start, minor soreness spreading through her shoulders. _Again?_ She needed a better sleeping position. _Or go back to sleeping in beds!_ She mentally scolded herslef when she noticed she'd slept on the floor again. When she attempted to get up and answer the door, though it felt like her limbs weighed more than usual. This was when she became aware of the pair of arms around her waist, and the head resting on her hip. Juvia flushed.

"Juvia! Are you still asleep?" More knocking.

"Natsu!" Juvia whispered, poking his cheek with urgency. "Natsu, wake up!"

While the boy stirred, he didn't wake up, he simply wraps his arms tighter around her, holding her firmly to the floor. Juvia was about scream in frustration, but opted against it. It would've been an open invitation to breaking her door down to "help her". 

"Juvia, come on, it's me! Open up!"

Natsu suddenly got up in recognition, startling Juvia who'd thought him deep asleep. Natsu reached for the door, fully intending to punch Gray's teeth out, only for Juvia to pull him back by the scarf, chocking him in the process. "Is Natsu crazy!?" She hisses at him. "Go hide in Juvia's closet!"

"What!? Why?" Natsu matched her hushed tone. "He hurt you! He cheated on-"

"Juvia wants to hear that from him!" 

As much as he didn't want to, Natsu obliges. Still by the scarf, she leads him into her closet. She's about to close him in when he throws something over her head. She pulls him off with a glare.

His arms are crossed, and he looks sort of annoyed by her decision. "Put it on." He shoots a look at what he threw her. Juvia realizes it's her robe. "Say you were in the shower."

Juvia smiles guilty at him, mouthing an apology as she closes the doors. She wraps the robe around herself prior to opening the door.

Gray's standing there, and it took all her will power to not let it get to her. His hair was shining in the morning sun. His shirt's wrinkled at all the right places, and the smile she loves so much rests on his beautiful face. _Life's not fair._ She thinks as he walks in, his scent sending her heart on a race.

"I knew you were home." He says as he takes a seat.

She gives a small laugh as she closes the door. "Juvia was in the shower, sorry." She eyes the closet suspiciously. If Natsu's hot head reputation had anything to be said, she wanted to make sure she could salvage some of the burnables in her house. "Why so early today?" Juvia asks, taking a seat near him, but not next to him. If Gray notices, he says nothing. 

"Early? Juvia, it's almost twelve in the afternoon."

"Oh, sorry, Juvia hasn't really looked at the time today."

"It's okay. I came because I wanted to show you this." From his satchel, he pulls out a hardcover blue book. The silver metal around the corners reflects off the light in the room, the otherwise blank cover carved with a silver circle. The book is visibly old and used, though still sturdy and hefty. Juvia didn't need a title to know what it was. 

"'The Moon and Her Mages.'" Juvia feels a little out of breath, gently taking the book in her own hands. "How...?"

"I went back to the library that was closed yesterday. The owner was about to open, so he kindly helped me look for it. When we found it, I got a little excited, so I didn't want to wait 'till I saw you at the guild. I came here instead." Gray gave her a shy grin.

Juvia held the book to her chest, feeling her eyes ache as she held back tears. She was so thankful to Gray right now. She wanted to show him how happy he'd made her, she really did. She wanted to hold his face and kiss him a thousand times, counting to make sure she didn't miss any. But she couldn't. Her body wouldn't listen to her anymore, not while her mind and heart were in deep turmoil. "Gray?" Juvia was really proud of her tone. She sounded strong and confident, even if those were the furthest from how she felt.

"What, no 'Gray-sama' today?" He jokes with a raised brow.

"Do you still love me?"

Grays face drops, his laid back position traded for leaning towards her."What?" He asked; he'd never heard her refer to herself in first person before and it showed.

Juvia took a deep breath, holding onto her facade as hard as she could. "Answer the question, please."

"I…" Gray avoided looking in her eyes. Juvia didn't need to know the answer, but he spoke anyways. "...Juvia, of course I do...where is this coming from?"

"Juvia's heard some things." She swiftly swipes away the tear that manages to escape. She presses onward with a sniffle. "Since yesterday, she's felt you're distant. At first, Juvia felt stupid, but now..." 

"Juvia, listen to me, whatever you heard is not true!" He reaches for he but she backs away.

"Gray," She can tell he doesn't like hearing his name without an honorific or the same affection. "Juvia needs to hear the truth." But he doesn't say anything. Instead, he looks down at his lap, and his hands clutch his satchel. He looked so liable; so demure and...so not like Gray. She didn't want to see him that way, so she doesn't. He was taking too long to answer her. 

After a while, she hears him stand and head for the door, which is when she lets her tears fall. The door opens, and before he goes he tries to talk to her once more. However, what he says is a jumble of words that make no sense to her. The door closes and Gray's gone.

She keeps her eyes tightly shut, her hands bunching up her robe. Her breaths are shaky as she inhales and exhales deeply. The answers she wanted hadn't been given, but in his silence, Gray had spoken － or not spoken － what she needed to hear. She'd be fine. She'd been fine before she met him and she could get there again. Juvia just needed time.

A hand softly lands on her shoulder. She doesn't want to, but she opens her eyes to look at Natsu. His brows are furrowed together, but he sports a small smile on his lips. He lifts a duffle bag with a little shrug. "What do you say we get away for a while?"


	3. Over Night Trip

Part of Juvia was really glad when they didn't see Gray at the guild later that evening. The other part of Juvia kind of furious, since the reason he wasn't here was because he had gone on a job with Lucy, Erza, and Wendy, which meant that Happy had tagged along to hang out with Carla. She didn't know who Juvia was more angry with: Gray or Happy.

She was having a hard time believing him to be a good friend to Natsu. Who leaves their friend behind with so much as a word? Though, Juvia guesses she'd done worse things for and over Gray. She frowns, not believing she was comparing her situation with Gray to the tabby cat's crush on Carla.

"Earth to Juvia." Natsu snaps his fingers in her face.

"Yes?" She swats his hand away.

"What about this job sound good to you?" He holds out a flyer. "I like this one better than the other available ones."

**MALE AND FEMALE MAGE NEEDED**

**UNDERCOVER WORK QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED**

**FURTHER DETAILS GIVEN UPON ACCEPTANCE AND ARRIVAL**

**REWARD:**

**150,000 EACH**

"This sounds good, and Juvia could use the money to buy new mugs." She mutters as she takes the flyer, flipping it over for the address. "It's rather far. Is Natsu going to be okay if we ride the train?"

"Nope!" He pops the 'p' sound. "But that's as far away as we can get from Magnolia and from the living ice-dick-ole!" He grins at her. "Get it!? Icicle, Ice-dick-ole!? Cause Gray's a massive dick and ice powers!"

Juvia eyes him for a second before patting his shoulders and walking away. "This is going to be a long trip, isn't it?" She hears him laugh as she goes to confirm the job, shaking her head slightly. Before heading into the Master's office, she turns back to him. "And no more cursing on the trip!" He sticks his tongue out in reply. Rolling her eyes, she disappears into the room. 

He's still smiling even after she's gone.

* * *

Juvia and Natsu followed an attendant down the aisle of the train, trying to find their compartment. Juvia was thankful that it'd been booked by their employer, as neither could've afforded something this nice. The train had seemed very bulky on the outside, and at first she'd been worried about what the inside looked like, but from the halls and the few open compartments she'd been able to peak into, her assumptions had been wrong. This train was fancy, and she was suddenly curious as if most of the passengers were business men and women, versus her and Natsu, who were likely hired to beat someone up. 

"This is your car Madam, Sir." The attendant stepped aside to let Juvia and Natsu enter the brown and cream room. "The train will be leaving in ten minutes, so feel free to settle. Once we're at a steady pace, you'll be allowed to explore the other cars such as the dining car, the lounge car, or the recreational car. The Control Panel for the room is here by the door." The attendant pointed towards a bell button on the controls. "Should you need anything, do let me know with this. Enjoy the ride, and thank you for choosing Star Train Lane." She bows before she leaves.

Juvia goes to tuck their stuff in the overhead compartment, while Natsu goes to explore the panel. The little clock on it read 17:30; so long as there were not complications, they should arrive around noon tomorrow. He eyes the four buttons, of which only the call button is labeled. He clicks the top one and the lights go off. _Okay so not that one._ He turns them back on and tries the second, which turns on the reading lights by the seats behind him. He hears Juvia giggle behind him. 

Natsu presses the last button.

He turns in time to see the seats go into the side walls and a bed extend from the back wall rapidly. It hits the back of Juvia's legs, causing her to lose balance and fall, though she tries to grab onto Natsu for stability, which only serves to bring him down atop her.

Natsu hovers over Juvia, both arms on either side of her. He flushes, praying to everything that the train wouldn't start moving; last thing he needed was to puke on Juvia.

"Here are the sheets, covers and pillows for your bed." The attendant speaks through the door, though she doesn't wait to be let in. She sets everything down next to them, avoiding eye contact with either in their compromising position. "Forgive me for intruding." Natsu goes to correct her but she bows once more before leaving. 

Natsu flops to the side, covering his face with their newly acquired pillows. He was so embarrassed, yet he couldn't bring himself to apologize. He's gathering his courage to do so when he hears Juvia laughing. From behind his pillow, he can see red dusting her cheeks as she giggles. He smack her with his pillow. _It wasn't that funny!_ He thinks with half a grin, still a little sheepish.

"Hey!" She swipes his weapon from him as she begins to hit him with it. "If Natsu wanted a fight, Juvia'll give him one!" She tries to sound threatening, but there's amusement poorly hidden in her tone.

So he grabs the remaining pillow and hits her back, though his resolve was lost the moment the train began to move.

Once Juvia retracted the bed and the original seats reappeared, Natsu claimed one of them as his own and curled into a ball. Juvia was sitting opposite to him, and he could tell that while concerned, she was also slightly amused. _Just when I was starting to feel less embarrassed._ He groans, thinking making him feel dizzier. He wanted wanted to die. He'd never felt more self conscious of his motion sickness. Happy wasn't here to help him through it, and the girls weren't here to take Juvia's attention off him. _And Gray's not here because fuck Gray, that's why._ He would've laughed at his joke if he didn't think he'd vomit upon opening his mouth. 

As the train passed a turn, Natsu's soul leaves his body as his body leaves the seat and he falls off.

This time Juvia can't contain her snort. "Why doesn't Natsu sit with Juvia?" She pats the seat next to her, and he eyes her suspiciously. "Juvia doesn't bite!" She lifts her brow at him. Though he didn't feel like moving, Natsu makes his way into the seat, almost immediately collapsing on Juvia's lap. She squeals and snickers. He didn't want to die; he _was_ going to die, at this rate.

Juvia reaches for the panel, pressing the call button. "Star Train Lane, how may we help you?"

"Does the train carry motion sickness medicine?"

"Yes ma'am, would you like some sent to your cabin?"

"Yes, please, a lot of it. Thank you." She ends the call, looking down at Natsu with a smile.

Natsu looks up at her in disgust. "Why...didn't...you do that...before?!"

She shrugs, turning to look out the window as she pats his arm. "It was kind of funny."

"IT'S BEEN LIKE THREE HOURS!" He rolls onto his side. If he puked he would not puke on her face. Maybe her shoes, since he craved revenge, but _not_ her face.

She laughed. "It's been forty five minutes."

There was a knock on the cabin door, and Juvia called for them to come in. A different attendant came in, handing her a small box and leaving with little words exchanged. Natsu heard Juvia read under her breath. He heard her open the box before she gently turned his face towards her. "This is a motion sickness patch, okay? It might be a little cold when Juvia places it on your forehead." Natsu nods.

The patch _was_ cold, but it soothes his headache so he doesn't mind. Once he's turned away from her, Juvia keeps looking out the window and patting his arm. Eventually, she switching to rubbing his back instead.

He should've stopped her, since he didn't want to fall asleep. Instead, Natsu lets his body relax, and closes his eyes. 

_Just for a moment._

"How do you feel?"

He stirs. _Di_ _d I fall asleep?_ He'd only closed his eyes for a moment, how was this possible? Natsu starts to blink awake, and the light in the cabin is enough to confirm that he'd slept for some time. _What the hell?_

He slowly turns to Juvia, who was leaning over him. Her hair was falling from her shoulders to his face. Had he been fully awake, he might've freaked out. At the moment though, all he could think about was how he'd never seen Juvia this close. Of course he'd noticed her pale skin and colorful hair, though he'd never noticed how small her nose was or that her eyes weren't symmetrical. She was kinda pretty, he settles to himself, as if he hadn't always thought that. 

Juvia raises her brow, and for a second he's worried he said that aloud. "Earth to Natsu."

_She asked you something; answer her!_ "Y-Yeah, good." He manages. He's momentarily distracted by her eyes as she rolls then, until he notices a moment later he isn't lying. Sitting up slowly, he takes a deep breath. _Hey, feeling pretty good!_ He gives her a thumbs up. "Oh man, this thing's great!" He peels the patch off and tosses it away. "How long was I out?"

"About an hour. Juvia didn't mind."

He smiles sheepishly when she reads his mind. "Wanna get something to eat? I'm starving."

"Natsu was almost puking not so long ago, and now he wants to eat?" Juvia laughs as she stands. "Lead the way."

* * *

As Natsu dresses the bed, he's keenly aware of Juvia in the cabin's bathroom. He rarely went to missions with Juvia, much less over night missions, so he was a little excited. He takes his vest and shoes off, placing his scarf next to his stuff overhead. He laid on the bed with a sigh. Whenever he and his team traveled by train or another form of vehicle, they'd all eat infront of him, not really caring about how he'd feel about it; even if they _did_ offer him something it'd be rare that he could stomach it. This time, however, he'd gotten to enjoy a good meal in good company. 

"Comfy?" Juvia asks as she comes back into the cabin in a t-shirt and sweatpants, also placing her clothes in the overhead.

"Extremely," Natsu smiles as she climbs plops down next to him.

The bed was pretty big, so there was lots of space. When necessary, Natsu would share a bed with Gray, so though he was still pretty giddy, he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel a bit awkward.

"Is it okay if Juvia goes to sleep?" She asks as she pulls the covers over herself.

"Yeah, totally; I'm pretty beat too."

She reaches over to turn off the light. The way they've positioned themselves, they have a great view of the night sky as the train flies by. 

Natsu did try to sleep, but after his little nap he was having a hard time doing so. He settled for looking at the stars instead. He doesn't know how much time has passed, but Juvia's breaths eventually even out, and he figures she's definitely asleep at this point. He sneaks a glance in her direction. He can't really see her in this light, but he can tell she's facing away from him right now, so he turns his body towards her.

She seemed to be okay today. In fact, aside form Gray's visit in the morning, the whole day Juvia had been fine. Or was he just bad at picking up her signals? She wouldn't put a brave mask for him, not after last night. Would she? He keeps looking in her direction. _It'll be okay, Juvia, I promise. And if you need something, no matter the time, I'll make sure to be there for you._ He knows she can't hear his promise; he'd tell her another time.

Juvia shifts in her sleep, the stillness of the room makes her small whine sound incredibly loud. She flips, and Natsu holds his breath as her nose rubs against his.

_I didn't realize we were that close._

He can clearly feel her breathing on his lips, and her whole body seemed to be radiating a frosty chill. Natsu's body was always hot, it was what having fire powers did to ones core. It was pretty tempting to hold onto Juvia and use her as some sort of ice pack, though he wouldn't do that without her consent.

He pulls away to give her some space, opting to face the wall. 

Cold fingers brush his back, causing him to flinch. He looks back to see Juvia reaching for him, though he was pretty certain she was still asleep. Rotating towards her slowly, he moves his elbow within her reach, which she pulls towards her instantly. Her skin was past cold, and Natsu could actually feel his body heat transferring to her. _Holy shit, that nice_. He doesn't move away this time she comes closer, resting her check on his shoulder blade still fast asleep. He shivers, but doesn't move as he keeps cooling down. This was so much better than a cold shower after an intense work out, or an ice bath after a fight. 

She was naturally cool and he was naturally hot, so it was no wonder it felt really nice to have her against his bare skin. _Was that a creepy thought?_ He was too comfortable to care. He adjusted slightly so that Juvia could hook her leg around him, and he sort of felt like he was wearing a human bag pack. He chuckled lazily at the thought, closing his eyes and dozing off next to Juvia for the second time that day.


	4. Davensfort Manor

Almost as soon as they'd exited the train station, Juvia spotted a driver holding a sign with their names. They didn't catch his name, though Juvia had a feeling that if she asked for it she wouldn't get it. He leads them to sleek black car, and she doesn't need to look over at Natsu to know he's less than delighted at the sight. 

Juvia felt nerves bubble in her stomach. Last night she'd climbed on top of him for warmth, though Natsu didn't seem to have noticed. In her defense she'd been asleep, though she knew that wasn't really an excuse to violate her friend's personal space. As soon as she processes the situation, she'd pulled away and ducked into the bathroom to get dressed. It took washing her face multiple times before her flushed cheeks returned to normal. Natsu had been up by the time she got out, though his motion sickness was back, so he remained laying down and out of commission until another motion sickness patch was delivered.

He still had it on right now, so Juvia knew he'd be fine in the car ride, but she didn't hold his discomfort against him.

They climbed into the car, and all three rode in comfortable silence. Juvia gazed out as they drove through the city. She'd never really been to a seaside town before, and Davensfort Town was beautiful. Every building had a villa air to it, and the people on the street seemed very lively. There was a farmer's marker going on when they passed the plaza, and Juvia almost asked the driver to stop so she could take a look. So far, everyone she spotted was dressed in light cream colors or earth tones, fitting for their towns overall look. It relaxed her, seeing everything so low key, especially coming from a big city like Magnolia, which was filled with colorful buildings and and people.

"What is this place, anyways?" Natsu asks, tactful as ever. Juvia nudges him playfully.

"This is Daven's Port Town," The driver answers. "It's one of the older cities in Fiore, though I guess it's too small to call it a proper city." 

"Juvia thought it was called 'Davensfort Town'?" 

"No," He chuckles. "'Davensfort' is the name of your employer, though the town name is a play on his name. Or, more accurately, his great-great-great grandfather's. The town was build to foster the fishing trade, but over time became a place for the importing and exporting of magic items."

Natsu and Juvia nod, though they're not sure if her sees them do so.

She rolls down the window, the sea breeze sending a wave relief through her. "This town is pretty." She sighs, and then looks over her shoulder to smirk at Natsu. "Natsu better not accidently blow it to bits with his Dragon Slayer Magic."

"I am not going to!" He pouts.

The driver laughs as he pulls up to an iron gate, which opens for him for him after a few seconds. As they drive down a stone path, a huge white building comes into view. The house, or more accurately the manor, was two stories of white marble covered in vines and roses. Several pillars held a balcony above the entrance way, which was lined with neatly trimmed potted bushes and bonsais. The driveway came into a roundabout before the house, in the middle of which stood a gold and marble fountain. The front door was made of stained glass, reflecting the sun in bright colors throughout the porch.

The driver opens the door for them, and two maids rush out of the house for their bags before either could stop them.

This was not their typical mission, that became more and more clear by the minute.

"Follow me," The driver makes his way up the stairs and into the house, followed closely by the two maids and two hesitant mages.

The inside of the house held another fountain, except this one seemed to be onyx and gold. Two sets of staircases framed the fountain, behind which one could see the grand hall. On the right there was a living room the size of Juvia's whole house, and on the left a dinning room to that could challenge the guild's hall. On the walls hung several floor to ceiling in portraits of, presumably, the Davensfort families through the years. However, there was one painting hug between the tops of the staircases, below the railing of the overlook. It depicted a short man, a slender woman, and a little girl. 

Juvia centered on the woman, depicted with wild ginger hair and bluebell eyes.

"She was beautiful, wasn't she?" The short man from the painting made his way down the stairs. "Her name was Ambrosia Hebe Davensfort. She was my late wife." Juvia feels a sad smile form on her face, which he returns. "She passed away a short month ago, but only recently has the word gotten outside of town. And I am afraid."

"Afraid of what?" Natsu comes to stand besides her.

"Well, you see, while the manor has kept generations of Davensforts safe, Ambrosia was a Mage. This house not only houses my family, it's also home to Daven's Port Life Crystal."

"'Life Crystal'?" Natsu asks.

"A magic engine of sorts." He continues. "The crystal was already here when my very late grandfather arrived. He studies the crystal, and learned that it kept the fish be plentiful and made harvests prosperous. This house was built atop it to keep it safe, thus it's something my family has guarded for generations. Daven's Port prospered because of it."

"What does this have to do with your wife's passing?"

"Ambrosia was powerful, though many doubted her due to her looks and big smile of hers." Juvia pretends not to see Natsu briefly look at her. "As I was born with no magic in my blood, once she married me, Ambrosia was tasked with protecting the crystal. She was a Siren, a mage that could make her enemies follow her every command with a single song. Now that she's gone, I'm afraid the Life Crystal is no longer protected."

"But why?" Juvia steps in.

"Before Ambrosia married me, there was a leader of a dark guild that wanted her. He didn't love her; he loved her power and wanted to use her to take the crystal for his own devices. I don't know how he knew of it, as it's not exactly common knowledge, though that's a secondary concern for now. She denied him then, of course, regardless of her love for me. Because he knew her capabilities, they stayed away. But word of her passing had gotten out now, and I'm afraid they'll come for the crystal and forsake my people."

Natsu nods slowly, rubbing his cheek as he thinks. "Okay, well, where's Mr. Davensfort? We need to talk to him before proceeding."

Juvia mentally smacks herself as the short man laughs. "I _am_ Mr. Davensfort!" He looks towards the portrait, in which he was shown with no smile lines and shiny brown hair. He twists his now white mustache in thought before adding. "I guess this painting's a little outdated." He chuckles once more, waving off all of Natsu's apologies and offering his arm to Juvia. "Follow me to my office please."

Natsu stays close to them, slightly annoyed as Juvia takes Mr. Davensfort arm with a smile. 

* * *

"YOU WANT JUVIA TO WHAT?" Juvia flushes as Natsu spits his tea.

"YEAH, YOU WANT HER TO WHAT?" He adds as he wipes her mouth.

"I need her to pretend to be my fiancée." Mr. Davensfort sets his cup down.

"Why though?" Natsu insists.

"Because I'm going to lure the head of the dark guild out. He may have not cares about Ambrosia, but he'll see it as a desperate attempt for protection, thus he'll make his move. The moment you confirmed the job word was sent out I'd throw a party this evening. I know he'll come, likely with the goal of leaving with my head on a stick. That why you'll be there to catch him."

"Yeah, okay, I guess that makes sense." Natsu grumbles. "But why do I have to be a server?"

Mr. Davensfort raises a brow. "Would you prefer to play the fiancée?" Natsu sinks into his seat.

"So the party will be tonight?" Juvia clears her throat.

"Yes. Which reminds me," He rings a bell. Within moments a maid and a butler come in, grabbing Natsu and Juvia and pulling them out of their seats. "You two better start getting ready!"

"Don't you worry, Mr. Davensfort, sir! I promise you no harm will come to you or your family!" Natsu flashes him a grin as they leave the room.

He laughed as he waived them out. "I don't doubt it."

After they leave the office, the butler takes Natsu downstairs and the maid leads Juvia down the hall.

The maid opens a door at the end of the hall, allowing Juvia to step in first. One side of the room was lined with wall length mirrors, the other with open windows, their white curtains flowing as the air came in. In the back of the room was an oak vanity. Beside it stood several manikins, a bathroom, and two empty racks. The maid tells her she can freshen up in the bathroom, stating there should be a robe there for her to use.

Juvia does as she's told.

When she exits the bathroom, there are two more maids in the room; one with short hair and one with long hair. The maid that had brought her here originally takes her clothes, stating she'd wash then and drop them in her room later. Juvia thanks her as she leaves, the long haired maid helping her onto a small pedestal. The short haired maid starts taking her measurements and calling them out for the other to write them down. Once they finish, the excuse themselves, taking the two racks and leaving Juvia alone.

Juvia takes a peak at herself and winces. She does _not_ look good. She doesn't know if Natsu's noticed, but she's looking a little paler than usual. She tries her best to smooth down her hair, tightening her robe once she's done. She hoped they'd be able to find something that fit her. She wasn't overweight, but she was certainly not as small as Lucy, or as muscular as Erza. Juvia usually didn't mind, her body was her creation after all; she didn't know what was getting to her lately.

Well she did, but she didn't want to dwell on it for long.

She took a deep breath, and did her best to smile. She was on a mission with Natsu, in a nice new town, and with a nice employer. She didn't have time to think about Gray right now. Or at least, she'd do her best to _not_ make time to think about it.

"Miss?"

Juvia snaps towards the maids, a little guilty over not hearing them come in. "Yes?"

"Which dress would you like to try on first?" The short haired maid signals to the racks behind her by the long haired maid.

Juvia gasped. There were so many of them. She rarely had a need for high class clothes, so she felt slightly overwhelmed. She shook her head with a slight shrug. "Why don't you pick for Juvia?" She smiles at them.

As the maids begin to look through the racks, their chatting slowly turning into an argument about which dress she should try one first, Juvia looked into the mirror once more.

_What is wrong with Juvia? Juvia's never this unsure of herself...or this mean..._ She stared hard into her own eyes. She had to get a grip and focus. She needed her cool head on her shoulders, not in the clouds, or wherever else she was drifting off to. Not listening to herslef, Juvia's thoughts went to Natsu. He had gone out of his was to come here with her, so she really shouldn't keep sulking. She smiled at the memory of waking up next to him once more. As embarrassed as she'd been, she felt _very_ well rested. She might purchase a heatable pillow after this mission. _Or Natsu could keep sleeping with Juvia._ Her brows furrows at the thought. She shouldn't be thinking like that.

"Are you okay?" 

Juvia turns towards the voice, thinking it was one of the maids. Instead, a girl about Wendy's age stood there, curly ginger hair tucked behind her ears.

"Miss Ophelia, we didn't hear you come in." The short haired maid says as she and the long haired maid bowed, both holding onto the same dress.

"Is that the dress you've chosen for her?" Ophelia asks, walking over to them.

"Yes!' "Absolutely not."

"Let me see it." They hold it high for her to inspect. "No, it won't suit her skin; pick another." The short haired maid hangs the dress back up with a pout. The long haired maid picks out a different dress with a smirk. The hold the new dress up. "Not this one either, it won't go well with her hair." The short haired maid looks pleased as the other puts the dress back. Ophelia turns back to Juvia "Which one catches your eye?" 

Juvia climbs down from the pedastal, her footsteps light on the plush carpet as she walks towards the dresses. She runs her hands through each of them, trying to get a feel for their weight from their texture. Most of her clothes were pure wool or cotton, but she knew from first had experience that dresses of that sort weren't super versatile, thus the large slits on her skirts. She love the feeling of satin, but the dress itself seems tight fitting, and if the dark guild showed up, she'd need her speed and mobility to remain uncompromised. 

Juvia's eye catch a dusty mauve, and her fingers settle on soft chiffon.

* * *

"I look stupid."

"You don't look stupid, sir." The butler straightens Natsu's tie.

"Okay, fine. Correction; I _feel_ stupid." He pulls at the tie, loosening it once more, much to the butler's exasperation. "I haven't worn a shirt with long sleeves in years, much less tight ones with a jacket over them."

"Be that as it may, sir." He tried to fix Natsu's tie once more. "You are supposed to be dress like one of us, and we are all dresses in this way, so please do cooperate."

"Let me give you a hand, my boy." Mr. Davensfort makes his way into the room, smiling at the butler who bows and leaves soon after, looking rather relieved. He swats Natsu's hands away from the tie. "Now why do you feel stupid? You look rather sharp, if I may say so myself."

"It's just not who I am, I guess. This sort of get up is out of my comfort zone." He says this, but Natsu lets the man adjust his jacket and vest as he pleases. "Plus, it's not ideal for fighting."

"I suppose so." He sounds amused "Still, what do you wear to important events, or to dinner with your girlfriend?"

Natsu frowns as Mr. Davensfort clips his cuffs. _My girlfriend? Oh...OH._ "Juvia is _not_ my girlfriend." The thoughtful hum lets Natsu know that he doesn't believe him. "It's true! She has－ well, had? I'm not really sure whats going on if I'm being honest － the point is she doesn't like me like that."

"Well, that's a shame; I've seen the way you've been looking at her." He pats his shoulder. "Come along, we need to fix you hair."

"I don't look at her!" Pause. "Okay, I do, but it's not in a special way or anything! She's goign through some stuff at the moment, and I'm the one thats helping her with them. Granted I brought the stuff to her attention in the first place, but that's besides the point because I would've helped her anyways when she told me after." Another pause. "Had she told me. If she told me. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that she's just my friend. We're just friends."

"Breathe, my boy." He sits Natsu down on a stool before a small vanity. "I didn't mean to get you so worked up."

"I'm not worked up." he grumbles, watching the man's annoying smile as he reached for a brush. Natsu closes his eyes with a huff as he feels him brush his hair. "I just don't want you to have the wrong idea. Juvia isn't like that. Just because we're here together doesn't mean were together-together, you know?"

"I see, so Miss Lockser is taken then?"

Natsu goes to shake his head, but doesn't want the other man to stop brushing his hair, so he answers instead. "She recently left him, or he left her? I'm not sure what happened, since he sorta walked out on her." He sighs. "Okay, I'm gonna tell you something, but I'm telling you this in confidence, old man, so don't tell her I told you!" 

"You have my word."

"I'm pretty sure the guy cheated on her. I didn't catch him in the act, so I don't really have any evidence; just my gut feeling. Plus he didn't deny it when she asked him about it. I signed us up for this mission because I figured some time away would help her."

Mr. Davensfort nodded, slicking his fingers with gel before running them through Natsu's hair. "And is that all you want? To help her as a friend?"

"I can't really help her as an enemy or a stranger, can I?"

"I guess not, but there's always helping her as a lover." Natsu keeps quiet this time. "I suppose what I'm trying to say, Mr. Dragneel," Mr. Davensfort sighs. "Is don't sell yourself short or lock doors that aren't closed." He lifts Natsu's chin up so he could see himself in the mirror. "Fight for what you want, son!"

Natsu leans towards the mirror. _Woah, is that really me?_ This guy looked cleaner and mature. His hair sleeked back and he was wearing trousers as opposed to pants. Most shockingly, this loser was wearing three top layers, which usually would've made him sweat. He didn't just feel a little hot, he _looked_ hot; really hot! _I dig it!_ He decides as he grins at his reflection. 

_I hope Juvia likes me_ _too._

_'It',_ he realizes, but doesn't correct the thought when he does.


	5. A Ball Of Pent Up Emotion

Natu lined up with the other butlers and servers as people started to pour in.

The music was lively and the ballroom looked even more beautiful than earlier. He watches attentively as they come in and mingle with each other. People of all ages were here, or at least he assumed so based on the children prancing around the dessert table. He grumbled in envy; he'd much rather be fighting with them over little macaroons and tiny cupcakes over holding up a tray of champagne flutes. 

_I wish Happy were here._ Natsu sighs, earning him a side glance from the butler on his left. Happy would've been a dead give-away of a mage being here, but he would've at least had some sort of company. _Great, I've been with Juvia for less than a week and I'm already co-dependent._ He looks up at the stairway. Nope; not yet.

He returns his eyes to the crowd. There was a chance the guy they were looking for was already here. Mr. Davensfort had said the guild wasn't an official guild, and Natsu didn't want to get too confident, but he was starting to look forward to a swift and cool victory. Surely, his and Juvia's power display will earn him the right to eat some of the amazing food he'd been instructed to not touch since he was supposed to serve it, not swallow it.

It was also likely that if the head of the guild was here, that there was some backup lingering with the common folk. No one stood out to him in particular, neither in the sense that they looked outright evil, nor in their attire. Most of the women were wearing dresses that seemed pretty immobile, so he was tempted to keep an eye on the men only. He knew better than that though, especially given that some of the men were wearing rather colorful suits and funny hats. 

The music slowed to a stop, and Natsu's blood curls for a moment before hearing Mr. Davensfort's voice.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," He says from the top of the stairs. "Thank you for coming to the celebration! As always, it's a pleasure to welcome you into my home." A round of applause comes from the crowd. "Tonight, I'm here to welcome someone else to my home, and to our lovely town. Please, allow me to introduce you to my bride-to-be, Jula Locknester."

_Wait, what about Juvia?_ Natsu looks up, chocking on his tongue as his heart rings in his ears.

Juvia stood next to Mr. Davensfort, holding onto his arm and waving at the crowd with a shy smile. She looks beautiful, and he can hear everyone agreeing with him. She was wearing a pink dress, and though Natsu couldn't see very well from where he stood, he could see some lace detailing along the sleeves. Her braided hair curled around her neck over her right shoulder. Natsu always recognized that Juvia was pretty, but she didn't look like the Juvia he knew, so it took him a couple seconds to regain his composure.

As she looks around the room, her eyes land on him, and her smile grows wider; almost softer. Natsu smiles back, sneaking in a little wave keeping his hand close to his hip. He hoped his face didn't flushed. He was taken aback and had definitely been gaping at her, but Juvia didn't need to know that.

Juvia didn't need to know the effect she was starting to have over him.

* * *

Juvia had experience locking people up.

Being part of Phantom Lord and one of the Element Four wasn't exactly good press. She'd encountered many people who superiors, and at the time herself too, had deemed not worth anything, and thus they'd end up locked away for good.

Or worse.

_It's nice to immure someone for their own good for once_. She thinks as she tucks the key to Ophelia's room into the bodice of her dress. She makes her way towards Mr. Davensfort, who's waiting for her by the stairs but out of view. She gives him a confident smile. She and Natsu had done this countless times before, and even if they'd never done it together, she knew they'd be fine. Still, before taking his extended hand, Juvia rubs the sweat off her palms on the lower part of her dress's skirt.

"Don't be nervous," Mr. Davensfort chuckles as he sets her arm around his own. "It's not like you're actually marrying me!" She nudges his stomach gently. "What's on your mind, Miss Lockser, or should I say Miss 'Locknester'?"

Her eyes crinkle with a smile. "Juvia's good, don't worry."

"That's not the look of someone who's good." His free hand goes to rest on her shoulder. "I know I'm just your employer, and that you have no reason to tell me anything. But I ask as a someone who's lived a little longer, and as a father."

"Juvia had a fight with her boyfriend, the same day Natsu and her took this mission." She found herself saying. "And...he was said to have done some hurtful things. When asked, he did not deny it. Juvia really likes him, but she can feel him slipping to a place where she won't be able to forgive him."

"Let me tell you a secret Juvia; forgiveness is something anyone can be capable of. Almost every situation can be forgiven and healed with time. However, one must never forget. For if we forget, mistakes we make once can be made a thousand times. Do you think you can forgive him?" She doesn't answer, so he pats her hand as he guides her to the stairs. "You don't have to know that yet; just never forget what he did, and how it made you feel." 

The music stops, and Mr. Davensfort steps forward to welcome the guests, calling for her to join him shortly after under her cover name.

As she scans the crowd, no one seems out of place. No one is not looking her way, no one is clapping any faster or slower in a way that makes her suspecious. Everything still seemed to be in order. Her eyes land on Natsu, and her shoulders ease as he tries to wave without getting caught by the other butlers. She tore her eyes away as they descended, though she kept trying to peak back at Natsu from the corner of her eye. 

A waltz begins to play, and had it not been because of her cover, Juvia wouldn't have been easily dragged into the dance floor by Mr. Davensfort. She would've refused or made an excuse, but as she was about to, everyone else cleared out, given then the whole room. As he pulled her close, Juvia became aware for the first time of how the man was more than half a head shorter than she was.

"Follow my lead." Without waiting for a reply, he started to lead her as the music played. She did her best to keep her expression neutral at best. Ideally, she would've looked happy or dreamy, but a fair amount of her concentration was focused on making sure she didn't trip or step on him.

The music abruptly stops, and the sigh of relief she fails to contain is drown out by the gasping crowd, parting to let three hunched people approach them.

The one on the right wears a white rabbit mask. The piercing red eyes shine like marbles, and the fur seemed to be made out of the real thing, which makes her shiver with disgust. His body is covered by a long black cloak, and only his arms peak out from holes made on its sides. He's holding two scythes, which are crusted over with rust. He remains completely still, and if Juvia didn't know any better, she'd think she was looking at a disturbing mannequin.

_The girl on the left has a pretty face._ Is her her first thought at she looks at her. Which is true; she has beautiful green eyes, thin blonde brows, and a dusting of tan freckles. Her thin hair falls around her head like a bowl, but she still pulls it off. In similar fashion to her counter part, the girl wears a black cloak, though her has no visible arm openings. Her face, while not hidden behind a mask, has make up on it. thick lines of deep burgundy from the corners of her eyes and lips disappear behind her hair, and another connects her eyes across her nose. Though she bats her long lashes and is clearly breathing, something about her is more off-putting than the rabbit guy.

The man in the middle wasn't as particular in appearance as his companions, but this doesn't make her less weary of him. His posture's the worst of the three, and the dark circles under his eyes are so severe they resemble bruising. While she's weary of the scarf tied around the lower half of his face, Juvia's eyes also dart to his hair. It's so oily it looks like it'll flow off his head and onto his clothes. He's the only one dressed for the occasion, sporting a rum colored suit and a cream collared shirt. His gloved hands rest atop a oak cane. _How didn't she spot him him before?_

"And who is this beautiful thing?" The middle man's voice sounds like a croak. Mr. Davensfort goes to answer, but the middle man puts his hand up. He takes a deep breath, producing an odd flute like sound. "The rain woman." Juvia's neck breaks into a cold sweat. "I've never acquired a water witch before, and my first will be the rain woman." He cackles, more wheezing and whistling resonating in the room as he does so. "Hand her over."

"Excuse me?" Mr. Davensfort seems as taken aback as she is, using his body to shield her － at least the bottom half of her.

"I want the crystal and the girl." He takes another deep breath, his knees shaking as he stretches to his full height before hunching again. His pupils go wide as he pants. "And the fire boy."

* * *

Natsu feels his heart skip a beat. _He can smell me?_

"Step forward, young man, I won't hurt you." The man wasn't looking at him, and yet Natsu felt as if he knows who he is and where he's standing.

"Don't!" Juvia yelps out, surprising them most of the crowd and apparently herself. She covers her mouth with the back of her hand, straightening herself. "Who are you?"

"They call me many things; 'the keeper', 'the collector', 'the blood hound'." His eyes close as he smiles. "But to you, my dear, it's Mors."

"Then kindly leave, Mors, before things get unpleasant."

"Didn't I make myself clear? I thought eveyone heard me!" Mors twist around, addressing everyone in the crowd with a shrug. "No? Then allow me to repeat myself." He lets his came drop as he removes his gloves. His palm are carved with runes.

Before Natsu can act, Juvia steps in front of Mr. Davensfort and screams for everyone to run, ripping the skirt of her dress open.

As the crow begins to push past him, Natsu sees Mors's right hand start to glow. He lifts it up, and the guy on his right stands up straight; as he brigs his hand down before him, the guy charges forward.

Juvia has a water bubble surrounding Mr. Davensfort, so she ducks out of the way as one of the scythes collides with it. Mr. Davensfort falls back in surprise. The man in the rabbit mask keep's swinging at her, and she avoids every attack. With her dress torn for extra mobility, Natsu can see she's still wearing her own boots, which makes him grin in spite of the situation. He takes the chaos as an opening to sneak in on Mors. He sticks to the back wall, making sure to blend in with the people still trying to make their way out. 

A large woosh of water sounds behind him, and he turns to see Juvia fighting back, trying to corner the guy against the staircase. The man in the rabbit mask jumps off the railing, and she smashes him down onto the band's stage with so much force it breaks. However, the guy gets right back up and charges once more.

Natsu eyes Mors. _His right fingers dance in synch with Rabbit Mask's movements._ He was using some sort of seal or spell over him, like a puppet. If his index finger bent, the guy would strike with his left scythe, and if Mors flicked his wrist, he'd dodge Juvia's attacks with ease. Natsu's job became clear; knock him out.

He takes a running start at him, getting ready to hit the back of Mors's head, when the man lifts his left hand and the girl appears to protect him. His attack lands on her back, mirroring Mor's hand position. _Oh, shit, that's right he has too hands._ Natsu glares at him with a smile. "I thought you wanted me to step forward?" 

Mors eyes turn rabid as he pants excitedly. "A dragon slayer." _He sounds like he's salivating._ Natsu feels his skin itch. "Girl, get him!" He thrusts his hand out again, and the girl turns to face Natsu.

Her mouth opens, and he can only watch in disgust as her jaw unhinges, her skin parting along her make up lines to reveal rows of sharp teeth. The line that connected her eyes opens too, and irises merging into one giant eye. Natsu can't stare away from his reflection on her large, wide pupil, just barely managing to move out of the way before she chomped off his head.

He's too taken aback, and slightly fascinated, to strike back. He avoids her every charge, still looking for an opening to get to Mors, but every time Natsu thinks he's got one, the girl takes the hit on her back instead. He'd be worried for her spine if she weren't getting on his nerves.

There's a scream off to the side, and he turns to see that Juvia has managed to uncloak her foe.

"No! Girl, help Boy!" Mors screams.

Natsu takes a head butt from his own enemy to the stomach, dropping to the floor. He watches as the girl takes off after Juvia, who clutches the stolen robe to her chest as she fights back with one hand. Her hair has come undone, sticking to her sweaty face and wet arms. Natsu gets back on his feet with a grunt, unnoticed by Mors, who's attention is sucked into taking back the cloak.

His eyes widen.

Hanging from Juvia's arms, peaking out from the bundled up fabric, is an arm.

He sneaks a look over, thinking it would be a bloody mess. What he finds, while less graphic, is more unsettling.

Rabbit Mask's scythes were on the floor, and he stands by them with an air of disorient. His arms are bound to his chest with, which is marked to match the carvings on Mor's right hand. One of bandages it was written on was torn, likely from when Juvia de-robed him, and was also the reason he was no longer under Mor's control. Natsu approaches him cautiously, noting how the man jumps as he touches his shoulder. Lifting the mask with care, he get a glimpse of the mans quivering mouth. His eyes are also wrapped, but no seal appears to be on the wrappings. "What happened? Where am I?" His voice quivers as he asks.

Natsu helps him sit, but doesn't unbind him yet to be safe. "Stay here. I'll keep you safe okay?"

"Please help me."

With reassuring squeeze to the mans shoulder, he goes back into battle, charging head first at Mors, who no longer had someone watching his flank.

While not quick enough to dodge the full attack, his clothes having caught fire, but he did avoid a lot of damage. In his surprise, he had also lost concentration, and the girl dropped to a floor as if she'd fainted. He ripped his mask off to stomp its flames out, giving Natsu a good look at his flesh deprived nose. It was pure bone, clean of any sort of muscle or any living tissue, and the rest of his skin seemed to have scared around it, as if it had been done on porpuse. "You want to play dirty with me, fire boy?" he growled, flicking his left hand at him.

Natsu never got hit.

Standing behind them both, Juvia help up both cloaks. Rabbit Mask's, with the fake arms attached, and the girl's. She was still sprawled on the floor, also bound, though Natsu could tell she only had one arm under those bandages, which have been ripped down the middle of the mark. She smiles smugly at them. "Can Juvia play too?"

* * *

They sat at the foot of the staircase, munching on the few hors d'oeuvres that had survived the chaos. In Juvia's hungry opinion, they were still tasty even though they were cold. She waves goodbye to the medics escorting out the masked man and the girl, both of them still quite shaken. She hoped they'd be able to get through this traumatic experience. Who knew how many more people were in similar conditions at Mor's guild right now. She hoped the authorities they handed him over too could handle him and get the answers they needed in order rot save them. 

Juvia did a quick scan of the room; the chandelier was shattered and on the floor, all three banquette tables were broken, the floor was a mess, and one of the windows was smashed from when Mors tried to escape. She hoped whoever ended up fixing Mr. Davensfort's house would get paid generously, as well as whoever would stitch her dress's thigh high rip...may they be understanding and forgiving about it.

She stretches her arms above her head with a sigh, slumping further down onto the stairs. "It seems our work here is done."

Natsu's head rests on the same step as hers. "I'll admit they a little harder than expect, especially Mors." He says, before bragging. "Of course, they were still no match for us, but good on them for giving us a hard time!" She returns his high five. "Shame about the clothes though." He eyes his own discarded shredded jacket, and the missing sleeve on his shirt. "For what it's worth, you looked very nice Juvia." He flashes her a smile so wide his eyes disappear behind his cheeks.

"Oh," Juvia feels heat pool in her own cheeks. "Thank you. Natsu looked very handsome too."

"I always look handsome, though."

"And Juvia always looks nice!" She elbows him playfully, her blush cooling off as she laughs. She looks around the room once more, before standing and offering her hand. "Why don't we dance? After all, Juvia's dance was interrupted."

He grumbles something she doesn't catch, so she shoves her hand in front of his face, which makes Natsu chuckle with a shake of his head. "I don't dance, Juvia." He says, but he takes her hand anyways. "Beside's there's no music."

"So we'll talk instead." She sways side to side, swinging their arms gently along. She knew this wasn't really dancing, but she'd ease him into it. "How's Natsu's stomach?"

"I'm fine, though at the moment it really hurt. She didn't chomp me though, so I should be thankful.

She laughs. "At least she wasn't holding any weapons!"

"Yeah, I think that would've made her scarier."

"Ah, so Natsu was scared."

"I said no such thing, and should you bring it up, I will deny it." 

Juvia slowly get closer to him, placing one of his hands on her hip, holding the one still. He stiffens a little, though he doesn't stop swaying. She can feel the blush coming back slowly, so she keeps talking to avoid silence. "They will be okay right? The man and the girl?"

"Yeah, they will."

"They didn't even remember their names."

"I know, but they're in good hands, Juvia, I promise they'll be okay."

She looks up at him, searching his eyes, and finding a sense of calm she had been missing for a while. "Okay." She leans her head on his shoulders, wrapping her arms around his waist loosely. "I trust you." She whispers mostly to herself, and she's not sure he heard her, but she feels two hesitant hands slowly placing themselves on the small of her back. 

She closes her eyes, enjoying their wave-like swaying and Natsu's warmth.

"Mister Dragneel? Miss Lockser?" A maid shouts from somewhere upstairs, and they pull away swiftly, staring at each other's red faces. The short haired maid from before appears atop the stairs, spotting them shortly after. "There you are Mister and Miss! You're room is ready, so if you would please follow me, I will take you to it!"

They share a sheepish smile before heading up to her, Natsu helping Juvia manage the train created by her dress's layered skirt coming loose and apart. They make their way down a grand hallway, though it's not the one Juvia had walked before. The maid leads them to the second door on the left side, opening it for them and stepping aside.

The room is lit with two oil lamps on either bedside table. Though there's purple velvet curtains drawn, a think silk one is closed. Even so, the night sky, as well as a good vie of most of the town and the sea, are still visible through it's white veil. Their bag have been set on an oak desk with gold finishings, and it's matching velvet cushioned chair. There's a bathroom attached, and a beautiful armoire next to it. And though there was only one bed, of matching oak and deep purple covers, Juvia wanted nothing more than to crawl within and slumber.

She thanked the maid, and rushed over to run her finders atop the pillows. _So soft!_ She's about to ask Natsu if he wants to shower first, when she notices him still be the door, a flabbergasted expression on his face. "Is Natsu okay?"

"There's only one bed." He blurts out, looking a little embarrassed at his outburst.

_He probably wanted to be cool about it._ Juvia giggles. "So?"

"What do you mean 'so'?" He seemed more taken aback than she thought he'd be. 

"There was only one bed on the train." She gives a meek shrug and a look. _What can we gonna do it?_

He seems like he wants to fight her, or at least refute her with some smart comment, but with a pout he grabs his bad. "I'm showering first." He states, waving her off as she wishes him luck with a laugh.

Juvia lays down with her legs dangling off the bed. She reaches to touch the spot were Natsu would be sleeping for the night; on the other side of the bed she was also using.

She'd slept over at Gray's a couple of times, though he hadn't at hers.

She wasn't a prude or anything; she had invited him over once or twice, if not more, though he'd never follow through with her invitations. They'd never just...slept. Her visits to his home always had an intention behind them, which wasn't bad; she was a consenting participant after all, but sometimes she wished for something...less, she supposes. Juvia's advances had been a lot, arguably even aggressive at times, so it wasn't surprising that that's how her relationship was. 

Possessive arms around her waist, nail markings on his bicep, date nights that ended tangled in his sheets. 

Her love for Gray had been flavorful from the start; at first salty, then spicy, and now bitter. It was pattern she was all too familiar with, from different people at different times of her life.

_For once,_ she clutches the sheets under her hand, still resting on the other side of the bed. _Juvia wants something sweet._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was shorter when I first wrote it... huh.


	6. Reality's A Bitch

Natsu woke up with the chill of Juvia's fingers on his spine.

The night prior he'd attempted to wait for her to finish cleaning up before dozing off, however, he didn't recall if he'd been successful or not.

If he were to guess based on the light and view from the window, he'd say it was still fairly early, possibly four or five in the morning. He grunts before cocking his head in Juvia's direction.

Her hand lays a centimeter away from his back, and she's spread like a star on the mattress. Her chest rises and falls in a peaceful manner, and Natsu finds himself wondering what kind of dreams Juvia has. Were they clear in meaning? Were they vague? Did they make her want to stay asleep or do they make her lie awake the next night?

He turns carefully in his corner of the bed so as to not wake her. Juvia's profile is beautiful. It lacks Erza's sharp jaw or Lucy's cute nose, but there is something comforting in how her mouth hangs slightly open as she sleeps, her teeth peeking out from behind her lips. Natsu's never paid much attention to Juvia before, much less in this light or in this setting.

_Or in this sense._

He places his hand on his chest, his heart going crazy over something that Natsu still couldn't name. 

He'd misnamed his feelings before, and though he'd never admit it to anyone, he feared he'd do it again.

Natsu was full of love, which he was rather proud of. He was a man known to trust and to forgive; one of his drives in life being to spread the kindness that hadn't been given to him. When he'd met Lucy, his affection for her had started as friendship and companionship. Yet, after a while, he wondered if he could find more within them both.

He'd been certain he loved her － he had to.

But the moment his lips met hers, the fire is his stomach slowed to an ember; it wasn't strong enough to warm anything. Lucy had felt it too, she'd told him so as she hugged him and left. He'd felt hollow for days after, though he was grateful he'd found a name for the love he had for Lucy: she was his family and his home. 

_So what are you?_ He reaches out to touch Juvia's cheek, but stops short of making contact with her skin.

His hand hovers within reach of her, like there's a force keeping her from him. If she was so close, why did she feel so far and unknown? Why was her word stuck at the tip of his tongue? What was this?

_Why is this?_

"Excuse me." A muffled voice speaks from behind the door after a short knock. Natsu pulls his hand way before the door opens. A maid with long hair stands at the door. "Oh, good morning, Sir. Mr. Davensfort has sent me to inform you the car is ready to leave whenever you are. Tickets for the next train back to Magnolia are set to be charged to his account. When you and Miss Lockser are ready to depart, do head to his office first." She bowed her head and left.

_Maybe it's not as early as I thought._

Natsu groans as he settled himself back into the sheets. He was so tired and ready to pass right back out. Of course the rich fart had gotten them the first train out of here. He bit back his tongue; the old man had been nothing but kind to him, it wasn't fair to him to be called a fart. Rubbing the remaining sleep out of his eyes, he reached over to shake Juvia awake, the latter stretching with a mewl that had a shiver running down his back.

"What time even is it?" She yawned, but to her credit, Juvia did rise and started gathering her things.

"I, uh, don't really know." Natsu rubbed his neck. He should be doing the same, but instead watches as she grabs her travel clothes and heads for the bathroom. She either didn't see him looking, or was really good at pretending he wasn't.

Once Juvia had disappeared behind the closed door, Natsu smacked himself lightly on the cheek. He needed to get a grip, and fast. He took advantage of the fact that Juvia wasn't there to dress himself and pack up his own things. He's pulling his scarf back around his neck by the time Juvia comes out. She heads straight for her boots by the desk, still looking half asleep. 

"Why are we leaving so early?" She grumbles as she struggles to pull her shoe on.

"You can ask him that yourself. I think he wants to see us before we leave."

"Well, he still has to pay Juvia, so..." Natsu grins. He hadn't known that she was snappy first thing in the morning. 

"That he does."

She didn't ask him to, but Natsu picks up her bag too, shouldering it along with his own things. Together, though in groggy silence, the make their way to Mr. Davensfort's study. Before either knocks on the double doors, one opens to let them in. The butler who helped Natsu the night before nods at him, though Natsu doesn't miss the smile he gives Juvia when she passes him.

"Good morning, you two!" The man greets then from behind his tea cup. "I see neither of you looks rested." He raises a brow at them.

If she noted his implications, Juvia didn't seem to care, unlike Natsu who jumped to their defense. "It's because you woke us up too early!" He whines, willing his nervousness away.

"It's almost nine, my boy." At this, Juvia straightens, though she still seems very much not awake. "In any case, I just didn't want you to miss the train, but I do understand you both had a late and tiresome evening last night, and for that I should be grateful rather than teasing." He set his cup down, raising to bow to them. "Thank you very much, on behalf of my family and my town, we may never be able to properly repay you for your help."

"Juvia's glad everything went well." She smiles. "Though, she's sorry Natsu and her left your home in such a mess."

"And the clothes." Natsu added.

Mr. Davensfort swatted the air. "Material things have no value over the safety of the residents and the port." He made his way over to them. "Of course, the monetary compensation from the mission is already stocked up in the car waiting to take you to the station, but I wanted to say farewell in person," He turns to Juvia. "And my daughter wished to say good bye as well."

Juvia nods, giving the man a hug before making her way back out of the room. Natsu wonders if the dress Juvia had worn belongs to her, and if so, if she was okay with what had happened to it.

"My daughter won't hurt her." The old man laughs.

"I wan't worried about 'hurting', but 'scolding' is another thing." 

"Natsu, it has been a pleasure meeting you and Miss Lockser, and I wish you both the very best, be it as one or as two, though － pardon my nosiness － I do hope for the prior. And I do hope we see more of one another." He stretches out his hand, and the firm shake they share fills Natsu with butterflies.

"Me too." He shudders, noting his weariness over his feelings were out-weighted by the feelings themselves. 

* * *

The ride home was uneventful, as in, both her and Natsu had once again crashed as soon as they'd bordered. She'd fought harder and longer battles, so Juvia was sort of suprise over how tired she felt, especially given that Natsu seemed to be in the same predicament as her. She'd never known the guy to lack energy, though there was always tie for first times she guessed. 

Besides, him being asleep meant neither had to worry about his motion sickness.

Well, for most of the ride anyways; he'd woken up with about an hour to go, so rather than waste medicine, Natsu settled for having Juvia pet his hair while he rested his head on her lap. Though, it took him a while to convince him of this, she doubted he held it against her.

The station was a sight of relief for both, even with the rain padding steadily through out it. By the time they exited the train it was pouring, and Juvia felt sort of irked. She didn't mind the rain, since she often _was_ the cause of it, but something felt off today － in general, that is.

She just didn't know what yet.

"Ready to head back?" Natsu asks, snapping Juvia out of her trance. "You know, I don't think glaring at the sky will help clear the rain."

"Natsu would be surprised as to what Juvia can do." She gives him a snicker, reaching for her bag besides him.

Natsu beats her to it. "I've got it."

"How kind." She raises a brow at him. "Is everything okay with Natsu? He's being awfully kind to Juvia today?"

"I'm kind to you all the time."

"Hmm, suspicious."

"You're suspicious."

She rolls her eyes, pulling her umbrella from her bag. "Juvia wasn't going to carry her bag anyways."

The walk back to the guild was pleasant. Though a tight fit, Juvia's umbrella did shield them both from the worst of the rain. Natsu insisted that if he got a little wet it was fine, since his hair and clothing were much shorter than hers, and she wondered if he'd forgotten what she was made of.

It was weird to think about how she wasn't really a person, so much as a form of magic and emotions.

_Complicated emotions._

She exhales hard, her mind drifting away from herself to Gray.

It was even weirder to miss the person who hurt you. How can you miss someone who was such a bad fit for you? Gray had always been dismissive of her over and over, and it'd never detered her before. Hell, at times he'd been downright mean, though in hindsight, she'd been downright pushy. Still...

_He had never made Juvia hurt like this before._

"What's on your mind?"

She had forgotten he was there for a moment. "Natsu, can Juvia ask a complicated question?"

"Of course."

"How can Natsu be willing to forgive people? Fairy Tail took in Gajeel and Juvia, though they tried to hurt you. And many times you've sought to fix and make new bonds with foes versus other means; how? And...why?"

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Juves, one to try and right the wrongs they've caused and encountered. I guess part of it stems from my own need to be what I needed once, but in the end, people can change for the better."

"And if they change for the worse?"

"Then we try harder."

"Yeah?"

"Yes," Natsu turns to her. "But sometimes, we have to let them go; we can't help people when they won't let us or when they're hurting us in the process."

"Has Natsu ever let go of someone?" He didn't answer. His eyes were far away, and he was likely in thought. Juvia didn't want to bring up things he wasn't ready to talk about, so she didn't. "Juvia's birthday is coming up! Well, kind off."

"Oh, wait really?" He cheers up instantly. "That's so dope, Juves, happy early birthday then!"

"It is still too early for that, even for an 'early wishing'." She nudges him with her elbow. "Natsu has to promise to come." Her mind drifts to the spell and back to Gray, and she almost tells Natsu to forget it － without Gray the ceremony couldn't be done.

But Natsu grins widely at her and says he wouldn't miss it for the world, thus Juvia bites her tongue, in spite of the pit forming in her gut.

* * *

The guild was incredibly rowdy to see them, almost surprised. There was a strange energy buzzing about the room and Natsu hates that he can't quite put his finger on what it is. Not that he knows what anything is as of late. Everyone kept clamoring around Juvia, asking questions with rapid speed that he couldn't register what half of them were saying. To make matters stranger, the seemed to be separating them, wedging between the two in order to get closer to her and chat. Natsu didn't mean to get annoyed, but he'd been in the mission too damnit.

_I wore a suit for that shit!_

When he finally squeezes past his friends to get back to her side, he pulls her to the side by her elbow. She follows without a protest. Though she doesn't thank him for the escape, her glint in her eyes tells him he did the right thing by swiping her. He flicks her forehead, urging her up the stairs. "Just go report to the Master, leave me some of the glory will ya?"

She tries to flick him back, but he moves away in time, so she sticks her tongue out at him. "Fine. Juvia will be right back!"

After making sure she wasn't caught into another conversation before making it to the Master, Natsu walked back to his friends, ready to share his side of the story.

No one approached him with more questions.

In fact, everything seemed to have quelled in the few moments he was with Juvia. 

Feeling unsettled, he walks over to Mira, who had been the only one to stay put at the bar upon their arrival.

"Welcome back, Natsu." 

"Hey, Mira." He leans on the counter. "Is it just me or is something wrong with everyone today?"

"Why, because they didn't pay attention to you?" She smirks at him.

"I mean, I'm offended but I'll live." She chuckles, so Natsu relaxes a little. "No, but for real, is something up? Juvia told me her birthday is coming up, is this about that?"

Warren came to sit at the opposite end of the bar, knocking on the wood thrice before taking an almost empty mug back to where Macao and Wakaba sat.

Mira leans on the counter with him, looking eager. "You're about to find out."

Natsu frowns, but before he can call Warren back over to explain their little knocking codes, the doors to the guild burst open. His adrenaline kicks in, and had Mira not sense it and held him down, Natsu would've charged head first at Happy and Carly.

The two Exceeds circle the room, looking for something, or － as he now sees － someone. As soon as Juvia stepped through the doors, both Happy and Carla make a b-line for her. Together, much to Juvia's amused confution, they lift her gently off the ground. As they do this, Erza and Wendy walk in. The older of the two was holding a bouquet of white roses large enough to be a tree, while the younger used her magic to weave their petals throughout the guild with a breeze. 

Flying her down softly, Juvia lands before the doors, surrounded by a flurry of the flowers. Natsu can hear Juvia laughing from where he stands.

"What is happening right now?" Her eyes are bright, her face flushed with glee. "Who..? Why...?" She's giggling too much to finish her thoughts. 

"It's an apology."

Juvia's eyes widen as Gray steps through the doors. Natsu's view is mostly of Juvia's back now, but he can tell Gray is holding something from the way he stands.

"These are..." Juvia says.

"The Water Hawthorn and the Water Hyacinth." Gray finishes, and Natsu feels guilty for wanting to punch him in the face, though only a little.

_So that's it, huh?_

Unbelievable.

But Juvia believes anyways. "Those are the sacred flowers! How did Gray...? Juvia couldn't even－ they don't grow anywhere in Magnolia!"

"I know."

"But why?" She grabs onto his wrists.

"I had to make it up to you, somehow." He leans down so their foreheads touch. "I know this isn't enough, and that any thing that I do from now on might never be, but I want you to forgive me, Juvia."

"Gray..."

Natsu wanted to pull her away. He's irritated to the point of exploding into a fit of curses and fire blasts, not even sure who he wanted to aim them for. Gray should know better than to mount this spectacle － if the asshole was gonna beg for forgiveness then he should've done it in a more earnest and private way. This was a farce and he knew it, and Natsu was sure Gray knew it too.

Still, before he could grab her and make their escape, she nodded.

"Juvia can try." She hugs him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He's unsure, but Natsu thinks Gray thanks her, attempting to return the embrace while still holding both flowers in his hands.

The whole guild bursts into cheers, gushing about how well their plan had worked out.

 _Talk about betrayal_. Natsu grumbles as he sits. Though part of him knows that there was no way his friends could read his mind － except for Warren － he still found it annoying that they'd all plot to get the two back together. He needed a drink...but he didn't want it from here.

He managed to make his way pass the buzz, swiftly making his escape. Before closing the guild doors behind him, Natsu snuck one last look at Juvia. 

She seemed happy. 

He closed the door with a sigh. 

"Hey."

Natsu jumps in surprise, turning to see Lucy standing behind him with her arms crossed. "Oh, hey, Lu." He manages a smile. "What's up?" 

She shrugs. "Just came back from a mission, so, not much, I guess." Her white skirt is caked with dirt, and her usually immaculate hair is out of place. He also notes she seems to be missing an earring. "You?"

"Same."

Neither says anything for a bit.

"Is...Is the _thing_ over yet?" She asks finally.

"Yeah." Natsu didn't need to confirm what the thing was. "Yeah, deed's done." She nods and he rubs his neck; was talking to Lucy always this awkward? 

"This is bullshit." She storms past him before he can react, heading into the guild and straight for Mira's bar. 

Natsu would've chased after her, but his eyes met Juvia's and her curious smile made it clear for him that he couldn't step back into the guild. At least not right now. Juvia stands, but Natsu shakes his head, signaling for her to smile. She does so hesitantly, so he waves goodbye and closses the door again.

Lucy was right.

Thought bullshit doesn't even begin to cover it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahah i decided to grow my nails out during quarantine and now typing in a computer feels really weird...
> 
> also in the og version of this chapter Lucy was mentioned but not present and honestly? i read and edit the chapters as I go so idk if adding her in at the end is gonna mess me up for the next chapter but of welllllll
> 
> woops as they say


	7. No Point In Denial

_Something’s not right._

Juvia listens along to what Elfman is telling Gray and Gajeel, but she doesn’t internalize anything being said. 

Her mind is honed to the hand resting on her thigh. Gray’s hand had never felt foreign to her before. Sure, sometimes it was too cold, even for her, but it had never bothered her before today.

She eyes his long fingers, watching as they sink slightly into her skin from his grip.

_Something’s not right._

“You okay?” Gray leans in to whisper.

“Yes.” She says too quickly. “Juvia is tired, that is all.” She takes this opportunity to stand, relishing the absence of his hand. “It is better if she goes home.”

“I’ll walk you.” He stands too, waving a goodbye to their table, and stepping past her towards the doors.

“Juvia can go home by herself; it is no trouble!” Reaching her pack before Gray does, Juvia slings it over her shoulder, and snatches the white carrier bag with the flowers too. “Gray should stay here with everyone. He does not need to walk Juvia home.”

He gives her a small laugh. “C’mon, let me walk you home.”

“But–”

“Juvia,” He holds her hand, but the usual tightness of his grip is lacking. He doesn’t meet her eyes as he speaks softly. “I don’t _need_ to walk you home, but I _want_ to.”

_Something’s not right._

“Okay.” Juvia smiles, giving his hand an avid squeeze. She found none of the reassurance she was seeking. “Okay, Gray can walk Juvia home.”

He smiles back at her, so she looks away and opens the door for them as an excuse.

Beyond the guild walls, the sun has started to fall. Hazy orange light beats down behind robust clouds, and next to her, Juvia can hear Gray grumble. The air is somewhat humid, but she knows the slight draft of the upcoming shower will make it more bearable for him.

Ever since she met him, Gray was very curt.

For the most part, he’d never shied away from making his annoyance or discomfort known. Juvia, in her interest to pursue him, learned and was well aware of his likes and dislikes – at leasts the ones he’d shared with her. 

Like how his favorite sleeping position was on his left side; how he favored certain mugs over others in his cupboard; how his ideal day was a cold morning with no wind.

As they make their way into town, Juvia takes a deep breath.

Unlike Gray, days like these were _her_ ideal.

_Something is not right._

“Hey.”

Gray is walking slightly behind her, something that bothers her now that she’s become aware of it. So she stops walking altogether. “Yes?”

“Do you remember how we first met?”

“Of course.” A pause. “Why?”

“It’s just…” He starts to walk again, making sure to stay a step ahead of her this time. His hold on her hand so loose she almost slipped from his grasp. “So much has changed since, hasn’t it?”

“Juvia thinks so.”

“Do you think it was for the better?”

Though surprised, she answers without hesitation. “Of course it was! Don’t you?” Gray’s taken aback with her curt tone and choice of words, so he doesn’t answer. She huffs. “If Gray had not been there that day, there is no telling where Juvia would have ended up, or what she would have done. Would that have been better? For her home to have remained with a dark guild?”

“No!” He blurts out. “I just meant–” Gray sighs, taking a second to collect his thoughts. 

“Something is not right.” She supplies, but not in the form of a question.

“Something’s not right.” His tone is defeated. 

They keep walking in relative quiet.

The chatter of the people in the street is comforting in a way. It reminds Juvia that there are other things happening around her. Her mind drifts back to Daven’s Port, and how lovely the town seemed to be. 

What would that have been like? To have walked the streets of the Port town with Natsu, instead of having arrived home to…this?

“Ugh, wow!” Gray suddenly pulls his hand away to ruffle his hair, chuckling to himself as he keeps ahead of her.

“Is this funny?” Juvia asks with a snort of her own, though she had meant for that to come out angrier than it had.

“I just didn’t think this is how my grand gesture would go, you know?” He plops down on one of the benches by Magnolia’s canals. “I thought it’d fix everything. We’d make up, and everything would be better, but it’s not, is it?” Juvia sits next to him tentatively. “I still feel like shit. And I can tell you feel different too.”

“That is not true.” She goes to defend, but one regretful smirk from Gray and Juvia feels her shoulders slump in defeat. “...Maybe a little true.”

“I should’ve talked to you privately.”

“Why did Gray not do so?” 

“I...I guess I wanted to make sure you’d hear me out?” He gruffs, burying his face in his hands as he slouches over. “‘If it was in public, you wouldn’t make a scene’ or whatever I told myself to rationalize it.”

“Juvia would not have made a scene.” She rolls her eyes playfully. When that doesn’t garner a reaction she nudges him gently to get him to look her way once more. “Juvia would have heard you out. You are still Gray after all.”

“Am I?”

“Juvia can check if Gray wants.”

He gasps in mock shock. “In public? Juvia!”

“Gross!” She smacks his shoulder. “Yep, still the same annoying, Gray.”

“Oh, so now I’m annoying, am I?”

“Gray has _always_ been annoying.”

“Hey!”

He wraps his arm around Juvia’s shoulders, pulling her close to rub his knuckles on her scalp. Juvia laughs, struggling with no real effort to escape as she giggles. Gray chuckles to himself too, and a warm feeling of familiarity blooms in her chest as he does. As he slowly lets her go, Juvia finds her shoulders aren’t the only thing that feels lighter without Gray’s touch.

“Yes, still the same Gray.” She touches his cheek softly, and he leans into her touch instinctively. “Juvia is the one that has changed.”

Gray shakes his head but remains quiet. He sighs, standing and stretching as the sun keeps setting before them. Making his way to the railing before them, he leans onto it with a deep breath. “Do you think we’ll be able to forget everything in the long run? Like, will we ever be friends again?”

“Juvia will never forget.” She goes to him, linking their arms together as the breeze carries the fleeting warmth of the day away. “But she will forgive you with time.”

"Will you－ " He hesitates, looking anywhere but her direction. "Will you hear me out? For real this time?"

"Not today." She leans her head on her shoulder, a horrid feeling rising in her throat. "Juvia can't today."

From the corner of her eye, she sees him nod and wipe away tears harshly. She pretends not to see them at all; Gray wouldn’t want her to. Instead, Juvia focuses on the sounds of water flowing besides them. She closes her eyes, feeling tears try to force themselves past her lashes though she refuses to let them. Gray's sniffling besides her, and though her mind and her heart both agree this is for the best, it doesn't hurt her any less.

Gray still owed her the truth. She has no time frame for when she'll be ready to hear what he has to say; who wants to be aware of when turmoil will be pushed their way?

She gives his arm a tight squeeze, her hands lingering as she untangles herself from him. She offers Gray a weak laugh, which he answers with a small smile after wiping his face on his sleeve. With a small space between them, they watch the last rays of sun glisten on the canal's surface. The breeze is still no match for the humidity in the air, and their now swollen and flushed faces don't aid their situation.

Yet, somewhere deep in her soul, Juvia knows for sure that things were already starting to feel okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by the end of august this fic will be finished － maybe mid august?  
> I already have ideas queued up for future projects, however my most recent idea will be the next WIP because it's my current hyper-fixation and i think it will be easier for the writing flow to come so I can avoid long hiatuses and stuff.
> 
> Look forward to that, to more updates, and the end of the story!
> 
> Hello to all Juvia x Natsu fans still here in 2020 (time of posting ＾＾ )


	8. Eventful Evenings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fixing this story is messy and annoying and I wrote a one shot on the side cause i legit cannot focus enough to finish this and honestly there isn't many hella active fairy tail fans in 2020, much less for a rare pair/crack ship like Navia ... still i don't wanna give up on this story yet and i'm on the final stretch so i'll do my best! ヽ(^◇^*)

Natsu gazed at the sky as the last rays of light disappeared, the cold starting to settle over the cobble streets. 

He angles his head onto the banister of Juvia's front steps, eyeing the door to see if the other had somehow slipped past him and turned the lights on. 

_No lights; no Juvia._

Natsu had been home since leaving the guild earlier, however he was still having a hard time processing everything that had happened prior to his departure. At first he tried to sleep off the knot in his stomach, though he found no success there. After he'd attempted to eat his feelings away only to find he had nothing that appetized him at home, which unraveled him further. In the end, he figured freaking out in his room was no better than freaking out else were, thus how he ended up here.

_In my defense, I thought she’d be home by now._

Juvia was likely still with Gray. The thought that caused Natsu to clench his jaw.

He didn’t want to be upset with Juvia, but her taking Gray back wasn’t sitting well with him. There were so many reasons as to _why_ that didn’t sit well with him, but the main one was yet to be determined by him.

Why did she take him back? _Did_ she take Gray back? It’d sure seemed that way! Why did Juvia take him back so easily if she did? Did she not believe him about the cheating? Was she in denial? Did Gray even own up to it? He hadn’t back when Juvia had first confronted him, so maybe he still hadn’t owned up to shit? Would he ever? Would she ask? Should _he_ ask?

 _My head hurts._ Natsu sighs as he hugs his knees. Small raindrops start to prick his skin like little needles, the street-lamps ahead highlighting the drizzle for him to see. Beside the closest one, Juvia stands with a slightly dazzled look in her eyes. 

Natsu jerks upright in surprise. “Hey,” he says a tad breathless, though he’s not sure why. This was Juvia. _Everything is fine._ “You’re home!”

“Juvia is.” She eases into a smile, though she still looks like she wants to ask what he’s doing here. Holding a white carrier bag behind her, Juvia makes her way towards him with a light pep in her step. “Would Natsu like to come in? It will not be long before the rain gets stronger.”

He nods a little dumbly, stepping aside to let her pass towards the door.

Juvia's place is brisk, but Natsu finds he doesn’t mind it much. He takes the carrier bag from her, and though she says nothing, he knows where to go and what to do. He's unsure as to _how_ he knows this, but doesn't question it much as he follows his instincts passes Juvia's living room.

While in the kitchen, Juvia peels some apples for them, watching serenely as Natsu worked. He himself is taken aback with how gently he takes the flowers from their bag, rinsing the little bits of dirt off their petals and taking care to not yank any out in a careless motion. Once he’s done, he slowly takes them out of the potting Gray had used to bring them back. He’s still uncertain as how he knows what to do and how to do it or even _why_ he does, but this doesn't deter him. Natsu’s gut tells him to put both flowers in the water, so he fills up Juvia’s sink to let the blooms float freely.

“Juvia did not know Natsu was good with flowers.” She says, resting her chin softly over his shoulder. Juva rests her hands on Natsu’s upper arms as she peers over him. “Juvia is surprised he knew how to care for them.” Her voice is hushed, as if she didn’t want to break the silence. 

“'Good with flowers'? You think?” He feels a little pride bubble in him.

“Juvia knows.”

They stay that way for a little bit; watching over the hawthorn and the lily in her sink. The rain patters on the kitchen window, but the sound Natsu focuses on is Juvia’s soft breathing by his ear. He faintly smells apples on her hands from when she’d been peeling them, and her heartbeats against his shoulder blade in a comforting manner. Natsu’s not sure how long they stay this way, basking in each other’s presence and silence. 

He only knows it’s not long enough, for when she leans off him, he longs for her to return.

"So," Juvia’s voice sounds jittery, but still is as quiet as before. “Is Natsu hungry? Juvia did not even ask before she took out some fruit.” 

Natsu swivels to her, following the way her hand tucks her hair behind her ear. “I could eat.”

Juvia visibly lolls at his reply. “Is fruit okay? How hungry is Natsu?” 

“I’d eat anything you fed me.” Natsu leans lazily on the island counter, watching in a daze as she sliced the apples into small cubes. _Her hands are very pretty_ , he notes, following all their short and sharp movements as she continues to chop. 

Juvia chuckles softly. “Natsu would get fat and blow up like a balloon.”

"That's my goal; I'll fly away."

“Do not; Juvia would miss you too much.” She flashes him a sheepish smile, meeting his eyes briefly before going back to the last apple.

He hoped she’d missed the tint her comment brought to his cheeks.

_Or maybe I don’t…_

Everything felt easy at this moment. They were just a boy and a girl, enjoying the other’s presence and company. He was just Natsu, feeling mellow and safe and _warm_ , with Juvia, a girl he’d finally gotten to know better. He didn’t feel nervous or weary like before, because something within him, right here and now, urged him to not do so and to trust himself.

_Trust her._

“Hey, Juves?” Natsu’s volume mirrored her earlier murmurs. Juvia hums to signal she’s listening, her eyes remaining on the chopping block. “I think I’m starting to like you.”

Stillness.

Then screaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!  
> as mentioned in the beginning notes i have a one shot coming out soon maybe? maybe once i finish fixing the fic or maybe once i finish uploading/updating it, i haven't decieded.  
> it's a kakegurui fic btw ー an nsfw one at that ー if yall are interested ehehe (*´∀`* ')  
> anyways thank you for coming back for this chapter (or thank you for making it this far if you're a new reader!) i appreciate the support always !!!!


	9. Taboo Topics

“You know, a simple ‘I’m not interested’ would’ve sufficed.” Natsu jokes as he gauzes Juvia’s cut. “You didn’t have to chop off your finger.”

“Juvia still has her finger.” She grumbles, a soft blush on her cheeks. Thankfully she’d only nicked the tip of her pointer finger ー the scream had been more shock than pain. Still, having him fuss over her was...nice. “Natsu needs better timing.”

“...I'll remember for next time.” He grins at her. She shoves him away playfully, reaching for the surviving apple slices. Juvia’s cheeks feel warm as Natsu finished dressing her wound. “All set.” He holds her hand up for her to see.

Juvia smiles. The rain persists steadily beyond the house, and though it’s fairly loud, Juvia still picks up on the low hiss of the oil lamps besides them. There’s a new stillness in this moment; very different from their earlier silence in the kitchen when they were both focused on their own tasks.

Her fingers slowly close over Natsu thumbs, pressing them tenderly into her palm.

"What's wrong?" He asks and she doesn’t miss the way color rises to his face.

If she's honest with him, the answer is nothing. Nothing is wrong because even when the knife pierced her skin, it was completely overthrown by the flush of her cheeks and the flutter of her heart.

But it’s too soon, and she could never do that to Natsu.

“Juvia is a little tired.” She responds feebly, squeezing his fingers before letting him go. “It has been a rather long day, would Natsu not agree?”

Her stomach curls as Natsu's shoulders slump, the genuine smile becoming nervous even through his best attempts at not showing it. Juvia can see that brushing him off has hurt him. But what else can she do? What is else is she supposed to do?

“Y-Yeah,” He's hesitant when he replies. “I should let you rest.” Natsu stands and makes his way to the door.

“Stay a while.” Juvia does her best to steady her voice, knowing full well it’s not fair of her to ask that. “Natsu should stay until the rain passes, at least.” She attempts to backtrack.

“I’ll be okay,” He opens the door, halfway out before wishing her goodnight. 

_ 'I'll remember for next time.'  _ “Wait!”

“Yeah?”

“Juvia, uh,”  _ Crap, Juvia didn’t think of anything to say before she opened her mouth.  _ “Wanted to know if she could see Natsu tomorrow? She…” Juvia searches her mind for a good excuse. “She needs help with some stuff for the 19th Moon Ceremony this Saturday.”

“You want me to help?”  He sounded a little incredulous.

Juvia clenched her first, it was taking more willpower than it should've to not reach for him.  “Only if Natsu wants to, of course, if notー ”

“No, no, no!” Natsu's eyes crinkle as he smiles, and the pit in Juvia's stomach eases. “I just thought you’d ask someone else…” The name doesn’t need to be said for her to understand what he means, and to his credit he was right. She tries to think of something to say, but Natsu chuckles before she has a chance to. “Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll go with you.”

“Really?”

He nods. “What time should I come over?”

She sighs, a shy smile settling on her lips. “Nine; breakfast is on Juvia.”

“See you then.” He grins at her, closing her door behind him.

Juvia waits a bit to see if Natsu would come back – somewhat hoping he would – but drops onto the couch once she’s sure he won’t with a huff. She felt wimpy for not telling Natsu the truth, but the last thing she wanted was to make Natsu feel like he was second choice or back up. 

_ Or a rebound _ .

Maybe he wouldn't think of it that way, but she herself might. Her heart sits heavy on her chest still, and as much as it pains her to consider, there was a possibility the feelings she kindles were stemmed from heart break...

Slight woe rises in her as she thinks of Gray crying by the canal. Loving Gray had been a wonderful experience that she would never be able to thank him enough for – and never before did she think  _ she’d  _ be the one to call it quits, nor that he would cry if she did; at least not in front of her. In the end it'd been her to bawl her eyes out only once they’d parted ways.

Her lone walk home had been sobering, and had made it something abundantly clear to her: there was for certain strange buzz in her heart, and it was familiar in a new way as it ached for Natsu to be by her side. The warm comfort that accompanied his presence had never been more notably missing than it had then.

But that wasn't a tell, was it?

Not when she'd yet to fully move on from another man.

Still, when she spotted Natsu waiting by her doorstep fuel was poured into the fire she’d lit with her match.

How scary, to not fully know or understand how you feel ー to doubt it and worry that it might hurt someone you care for.

Juvia gazes up to her ceiling, the soft thumping of her heart in her ears. She looks down at her hand, grazing her fingers over the palm that had held Natsu's thumbs. His hands were bigger than hers, though she's pretty sure her fingers were longer than his. She thinks back to the soft expression as he watched her cut apples in her kitchen. How the words had flowed from him so easily and earnestly.

_ ' _ _I think I'm starting to like you.'_

Her cheeks sting from the wide and dumb grin on her lips. Though she's still weary, the butterflies in her stomach and the giddiness in her chest are too familiar to mistake. 

_ Juvia thinks she's starting to like you too. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is another short chapter but the fic is finished so i'll try and remember to upload updates more often heheheh


	10. Day Out In The Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i promise you will not wait this long for a new chapter on this fic again i will upload the next chapter either on or before next sunday, just cause i dont want to post them all at once so im still gonna wait a few days at least!   
> thank you for your support and understanding uwu ♡

“What are you staring at?” Natsu mumbles, a little shy under Juvia’s shocked gaze.

“Sorry, it is just that Juvia has never seen Natsu outside of the guild before.” She steps aside to let him in, closing the door softly behind her with an amused grin. “She’s also never seen Natsu wear green before.”

Natsu spares himself a glance. Lucy had bought him this pair of camo shorts forever ago, but it was true that he rarely wore them, and his green shirt was a hand-me-down from someone at the guild – though he couldn’t for his life remember who’d given it to him.  _ I guess I look fairly different _ . “Do I, uh, look okay though?” He bit his cheek as he asked.

Juvia seems surprised he asked, but smiles anyways as she taps her finger to her lips. With a mocking ‘hmm’, Juvia circles him, inspecting his outfit. Finally, she smooths out his shoulders with a smirk. “Juvia suppouses Natsu looks cute in green, if only a little.”

“Oh, shut up, you’re wearing yellow.” He tugs at the skirt of her dress, making her laugh as she swats his hand away. “And you’re wearing a hat.”

“Juvia  _ always  _ wears hats.”

“Not  _ farmer _ hats.” Natsu swipes it from her head, the straw crunching slightly by his action.

“It is  _ not _ a farmer hat!” Juvia laughs, trying to retrieve the hat from his grasp.

They dance around each other, Natsu’s teasing amusing Juvia more than annoying her. Their three inch height difference had never mattered before, but today he thanked it as it kept the hat’s rim just out of reach of her fingers. Natsu’s sneaker’s squeak as he shuffles around her, his attention momentarily diverted to making sure he doesn't step on Juvia’s sandal-clad feet.

“Hah!” Juvia darts for her hat, causing Natsu to stumble backwards. 

His lower back hits the bureau by the entrance. Juvia takes advantage of his misstep, pinning the hand with her hat to the wall by Natsu’s face. Her other hand keeps a tight grip on his other wrist, essentially gluing him to the bureau. They’re still laughing as Natsu fights to make sure she doesn’t get a chance to grab it back, but both falter when Juvia’s nose bumps against his.

Natsu takes a small breath.  _ I could kiss her right now _ . His eyes dart to her lips, then back to her eyes, and somehow, he knows that she would kiss him too.

So he doesn’t.

Instead, Natsu chuckles, hoping it comes off as more cheeky than nervous. “Ever gonna release me, Lockser?”

Her eyes widen a tad, a flush creeping to her face. “S-Shut up,” She backs away from him, patting her hair down. “Juvia won, so Natsu owes her her hat back.”

“I think I might keep it.” She raises an amused brow, crossing her arms as Natsu stuck the hat on his head. “Don’t I suit it best?” His stomach growls lightly, and it’s now his turn to blush as Juvia laughs.

“Juvia thinks,” She swipes the hat back, turning to the mirror to fix her hair as she puts it on. “That breakfast would suit Natsu better.” She gives him a big smile, her eyes turning into crescent moons as she does.

“I may or may not agree with you there.”

Juvia rolls her eyes, but grabs her purse before opening the door for them both. As he passes her, Natsu gives her a curtsy, which is rewarded with a snort. He lets his gaze linger on her as she locks up her place, the yellow of her dress a very stark contrast to her usual preferred colours, yet he found he didn’t mind – it made him wonder what other shades would look like on her.

_ I should’ve kissed her _ . 

He stops short of punching himself if only because Juvia had started to make her way down the steps and into the street. Natsu follows, falling in sync with her, listening to her talk highly of the place she wanted to take him to, and all he could think about was how much he wished this was a date.

The rational side of his brain knew this was a taken woman, and more than that his friend. The rational side that told him that even though he’d told her he’d liked her, it wouldn’t change anything if she didn’t like him.

And yet he had to stick his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching for her hand.

_ Goddamnit, I totally should’ve kissed her. _

* * *

After breakfast had been very tasty, though Juvia couldn’t deny that on the way there it hadn’t been the food’s taste that plagued her thoughts. She was so used to the physical, rougher edges of her romance with Gray, she felt guilty that that was all she could think about when it came to Natsu. She knew that what she was starting to feel wasn’t attraction based on hormones, but still…sweet and slow were sorta new to her. 

For now, knowing it’s for his and her benefit, she keeps her hands busy with the list of the errands she needs to get done today. 

“Okay,” She smiles at Natsu, who pulls away slightly having been caught trying to read over her shoulder. “Juvia needs to confirm the flower delivery today. Besides that, she needs to pick up the vases for the centerpieces and her dress from the tailor’s. She also needs to return something to a shop.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Natsu grins. “Where to first, Chief?”

“The flower shop is the closest, so that would be the best place to start.”

“Lead the way.”

The weather was pleasant today. The rain must have lasted till morning prior to their meeting – if the smell of wet flora was anything to go by. The dew drops on the trees would fall scarcely when shaken by the gentle breeze that kept the sunny day bearable. The streets are busy, but not enough to consider them crowded. Magnolia’s lively with families and groups of people making their way around the shopping district, and though the chattering is somewhat infectious, Juvia can’t think of anything to say to the man walking besides her.

“So,” Natsu pokes her shoulder. “When’s the ceremony again?”

_ Oh, thank gods _ . “This upcoming Saturday; Juvia sent the invitation with Happy, did Natsu not receive it?”

“Oh, Happy doesn’t really live with me anymore.”

“What, why?” 

“Since he’s been getting along steadily with Carla, Wendy offered him to stay with them at her place, so Happy tends to stay as long as he’s welcomed.” Natsu must’ve sensed her annoyance at the blue cat for he flashed her a toothy smile. “I’m totally fine with it by the way, it’s not like he ditches without telling me or anything.”

“Juvia suppouses so, but still…does Natsu not get lonely sometimes?” 

He takes a moment to reply. “Sometimes, I wished he’d stay with me regardless of Carla, it’s true. Though I know that even if I feel lonely, I’m not alone – not really. So that kinda helps when it does get to me. If I ever get truly down I always go bother Lucy, so it’s really not all that bad.”

“Ah, so Natsu deliberately says ‘bother Lucy’ in heed of ‘visit Lucy’; Juvia will remember that.”

“Oh, yeah? And what exactly does that tell you?” He laughs.

“That Natsu is devious and full of trouble.” More laughter. “Though Juvia's home is always open to Natsu, too…”

“What?”

He’s stopped a few steps behind her, and it's then that she notes she said the latter aloud. “I-Is that weird? Juvia just meant that she enjoys Natsu’s company, so if he were to stop by – not that Natsu  _ has _ to stop by or anything of the sort! If he feels like visiting sure, but if that is not the case then Juvia will not impose, of course –”

“I’d like that.”

“...For Juvia to not impose?”

“No, dummy!” He rests his hand on her head, and she can feel the warmth of his hand through her hat. “I’d like to spend more time with you.” His voice carries more sincerity than she was prepared for.

“O-OH!” She chuckles nervously, giddiness building in her stomach despite her attempt to calm down. “Yes, of course! Juvia would like that too, very much!”

They turn the corner and Juvia pushes the flower shop door open for them both, the soft chime of the overhead bell alerting the clerk of her presence. The young boy behind the counter greets them warmly, but doesn’t make attempts to interact or approach. The scent of fresh cut flowers fills the store, and it’s surprisingly colder than Juvia expected it to be.

She makes her way over to the boy. “Hello, Juvia had a delivery she needed to confirm for Saturday afternoon?” 

“Of course, could you give me the order number, please?” Juvia hands him a little card, and the boy excuses himself to search for the owner in the back. 

Natsu leans on the counter besides her. “What flowers did you get?”

“Baby’s Breath, white Lillies, and Camelias. They will go in the center vases Juvia still has to pick up later.”

“Oh, that’ll look pretty, right?”

“Juvia hopes so!” She giggles lightly.

“So, what exactly is the 19th Moon Ceremony?”

“The story goes that the first water mage was born from the sea. The ocean had fallen in love with the moon, thus every night it would attempt to pull itself closer to her. But the moon knew that beyond the boundaries of the shores, the water would not survive – it would succumb to the sun or be absorbed by the earth – so she would push back. This went on for eighteen nights.”

“What happened then?”

“According to the story, on the nineteenth night, the moon pushed so hard, part of the ocean spilled onto the land, forming rivers, lakes, streams, waterfalls, and lagoons. However, some of the water was still lost to land and sun, so the moon pulled it back down to the sea, causing it to rain for the first time. 

“Seeing how much the moon worried for her seas, the earth and the sun agreed to let the rainfall be. It’s said that because of this, the drops were able to come together and form into the first water mage. The moon was finally able to show her love back that night, and that love gave us purpose.”

“Wow,” Natsu’s cheeks were flushed in awe. “That’s incredible!”

Juvia brushed her hair behind her ear. “The moon is not ageless, but to the oceans, she has been here since the beginning. Whenever a water mage turns nineteen, an incantation is recited so that they may give part of themselves to the earth and the sky, as a thank you from our moon for letting us walk on land unharmed.”

“Is it painful?”

“Juvia’s not sure; it’s never happened to her before”

Before Natsu could ask more, the clerk came back. He shows Juvia her order details, confirming that everything is correct and up to standards for the delivery before she signs off. Pulling her wallet from her bag, Juvia hands the money to him with a smile.  _ One task down, some to go. _

“Keep the change.”

“Oh, thank you, Miss!”

“Have a nice day!”

“You as well.”

Once again, Juvia pulls the door open for Natsu and herself, leaving with a wave to the boy behind the register. A side glance at Natsu is enough to let her know that he’s still thinking about the ceremony and what it entails, so with a chuckle she spares him from asking.

“Has Natsu ever wondered why Juvia does not evaporate under the sun, or get absorbed into the earth when she turns herself to liquid?”

“Will I sound dumb if I say I’d never thought about it?”

She laughs. “It is a fair thing to not think about, but to keep it simple, it is because of the moon’s love that neither the sun nor the earth claim us. They see how much she loves her mages, so to honor her, they allow us to flow relatively unaffected by them.”

“That’s actually really neat!” He grins at her. “It’s really cool to be able to learn so much about you, Juvia; I didn’t realize how amazing you were.”

Juvia felt herself flush, thinking back to his confession the night prior.  _ Hey, Juves, I think I’m starting to like you _ . “Natsu’s amazing too.” She mumbles, a tad embarrassed under his smiling gaze.

Natsu’s cheeks tinted pink, but he didn’t look away, just flashed another smile her way – though this one was more bashful than the previous. “You think so?”

“Juvia knows so.” She soaks in the sight of his joyous face, feeling the warmth of her face spread all the way to her finger tips. “Natsu’s especially amazing when he offers to carry the vases they have to pick up next.”

“Ha ha, nice try, you.” He flicks the hat off her head, darting away from her with a laugh as she tries to flick his forehead in return.

* * *

“Ahh, these are heavy.” Natsu groans as he sets down three boxes on Juvia’s dinner table. “Why did you pick ceramic vases?”

“Natsu did not have to carry three boxes.” She raises her brow at him while setting down her own box. “Juvia could have carried two.”

“I didn’t want you too.” He replies easily, stretching his arms behind his neck with a groan. “We still need to go to the tailor’s right?” 

Juvia doesn’t answer him right away. Natsu swears her cheeks are dusted pink when she does. “Y-Yes. Juvia also needs to return something, but both shops are the opposite way, so coming back with the vases was best.”

“We should head on then, we can have lunch after if you start feeling hungry.”

“Natsu’s still coming with Juvia?”

_ Oh. _ “Do you not want me to?”

She reaches out for his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Juvia would love for you to come with her.” 

As they make their way down a new street, Natsu focuses hard on remaining optimistic. 

His mind wouldn’t stop drifting back to the prior night and his slip of the tongue. His eyes drift to the red and white band-aid on Juvia’s pointer finger.  _ Is the thought of me liking her that startling?  _ Natsu really hoped not – that would do wonders to decrease his self esteem.

Juvia hadn’t said anything then, and she’d yet to say anything now, and while part of him truly did feel relieved at this, the other part stung. 

Acknowledgement of his feelings, even if they were followed by a rejection, would’ve been better than the silent answer he’d gotten. Natsu hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but now that he had, he didn’t want to regret it. He was starting to like Juvia; he  _ did _ like her. Even if he wasn’t supposed to – because she was his friend and someone elses girlfriend – he knew that it was true, though he’d certainly been slow to getting to this conclusion.

“The tailor shop should be fast, so Natsu can wait here if he wants.” She says softly, snapping him out of his thoughts as he nods dumbly. “Juvia will be quick.”

He watches her go in, an easy smile on her face as she makes pleasantries with the women behind the counter. Natsu’s eyes travel to her exposed shoulders, peeking out from the curtains of her hair. As if she could sense him, Juvia picks this moment to pull her hair to one side, leaning into the conversation and showing off the narrowness of her back. He feels stupid when his heart skips a beat at the action, so Natsu looks away to salvage some of his pride.

_ This can’t be happening to me. _

What was he supposed to do now? How do you deal with having a crush on a girl with the worst possible boyfriend? Well, no, Gray wasn’t the worst. If Natsu were to be honest with himself, which he didn’t want to be, he knew Gray was his friend. He was rough around the edges and he got under his skin almost always, but Natsu wasn’t  _ that _ dumb; he knew he had a friend in Gray regardless of their bickering nature.

_Why did you do it?_ Natsu buries his face in his hands, frustration rising in his throat. _Why did you go and mess up to the degree where I can’t be happy for you?_ _I can’t stand this…_

“I hate this.” He chokes out. He’s not going to cry about it now – it’s not for him to cry about ever. He takes a deep breath, turning back to the tailor shop in time to see Juvia walking out with a carrier bag in hand.

“Thanks for waiting, Juvia hopes it wasn’t long.” She waves the bag before her, waiting for him to fall in line with her before picking up the pace. “One more errand, and Juvia shall treat Natsu to a crepe or two.”

He had to bear with it for now; what other choice did he have? He pokes her shoulder with a pout. “No way, you paid for breakfast! I am  _ not _ letting you pay again.”

“Juvia asked Natsu along, so she pays.”

“What kind of bullshit rule is that?”

“Language!”

Natsu’s smile softens as she punches his shoulder playfully. He wanted to voice all his concerns, his insecurities, and he wanted an answer to his feelings. Instead, he settles for trying to take a peek inside the bag, asking relentlessly to let him see the dress she was hiding within it.

Above anything, Juvia Lockser was his friend.

And he’d be damned if he did anything other than be the best friend she could ask for.

* * *

The boutique no longer sparked the joy or wonder Juvia had felt when she’d first visited a week or so prior. The ambient was still soothing, with soft browns and whites on the walls and shelves, and the jewelry stand she had spent so much time in front of still had all the cute necklaces from her first visit. Still, the feeling of remorse in her stomach grew as she stepped further inside.

The young girls behind the register chat lively with their current clients as one of them rings them up. Juvia’s not one to interrupt, so she turns to Natsu to kill time. Instead of finding him by her side though, she sees the taller eyeing some shirt on the rack by the dressing room. She smiles as his brow creases in concentration.

“What is Natsu looking at?” She rests her hands on the end of the rack, taking note of the twenty five percent discount sign besides it.

He presses his lips together before answering, though makes no effort to turn her way. “Well, you know how the ceremony is coming up?”

“Yes, Natsu has been very helpful today. Juvia is grateful, by the way.” 

“Not at all, I had fun!” He waves away her thanks, but she sees the tips of his ears flush and feels her smile grow wider. “I just…don’t have anything to wear to it. I don’t want to look shabby when I’m sure that everyone else is gonna look nice.” ‘ _ Especially you _ ’ she hears Natsu mumble mostly to himself. 

Juvia feels her own cheeks flush, but doesn’t address what she wasn’t meant to catch. “Natsu is very handsome, so Juvia is sure that he would look good in anything he wore.”

“You think so?”

She nods, her fingers trailing along the first dress shirt on the rack; a white satin one with gold buttons. “But if Natsu is worried, he should try some stuff on. Juvia can, uh, give her opinion and help out – if Natsu wants that, of course! Juvia would not impose or anything, and Natsu can make his own decisions, she was just…trying to help…” She feels more bashful than she wants to.  _ Can Natsu tell he turns Juvia stupid? _

“Really? Which one do you think I should try one then? Can you help me pick one out?” He looks at her finally, and though his cheeks are dusted pink, Juvia sees excitement in his eyes as the notion of her help.

She nods enthusiastically, joining him in searching through the packed rack. Most of the shirts were long sleeved, but Juvia was set on finding something shorter for him, remembering his vivid complaints about overheating and layers during their mission at Daven’s Port.  _ Natsu did look very cute though. _ She snickers to herself as she discards yet another long sleeved shirt.

“You have to return something right? What are you returning?” Natsu scrunches his nose at a blue and silver shirt, holding it against himself for her opinion.

She shakes her head at the shirt. Silence settles while she thinks of how to phrase her answer, her stomach bubbling as it threatened to make the awful feeling rise. “Juvia had bought something for Gray to wear at the ceremony…”

There’s a screech of a hanger as it slides down the metal pole, followed by a pause. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” She pulls out a black shirt with lace sleeves of mid length. Natsu tilts his head in thought before dismissing it. 

“What was it?” He speaks softly, like a child tip-toeing around past their bedtime. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“Cufflinks.” She smiles, her purse heavier on her shoulder. “Gray had mentioned that he had lost one, but had not found any he liked to replace his pair. Juvia got him some while he was on his last mission, before…”

She didn’t have to finish her thought, Natsu’s face told her he was well aware of the timeline. “So,” He hesitates. “Why return them, if I may ask? Did he not like them?”

Juvia frowns to herself, more puzzled than upset by his question.

_ Wait. _

“Did Juvia not tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

She feels so stupid; she  _ is _ stupid. How could she forget to tell Natsu something so important? Where was her mind last night that she couldn’t remember to tell him? Her pointer finger pulses as Natsu’s words echo in her mind.  _ Oh, right. _ Her cheeks flush in embarrassment.  _ Natsu really does make Juvia stupid _ . “Gray and Juvia broke up yesterday.”

He doesn’t say anything at first. Natsu’s mouth hangs slightly open, his brows raising in surprise. His eyes scan her face, as if searching for hints on whether she was lying or not. His fingers close over a couple hangers on the rack as splotches of red bloom over his face. “O-OH! I see! Yeah, no, in that case–” He clears his throat, pulling the shirts to himself tightly. “You should totally return the cufflinks! He doesn’t deserve them! You should get your money back! Who cares about Gray right? Definitely not you– I, er, no, not  _ us _ !  _ We _ don’t– I– ” 

“Natsu? Is everything okay?” Juvia tries to reach for him, but he skips back, his back connecting to the door of the changing room behind him.

“I’m totally fine!” He chirped, his eyes wide and his voice a little…ecstatic? Juvia wasn’t sure she knew what was going on. “I just really like these shirts! So I will, uh, try them on!” In a quick motion, Natsu opens and closes the changing room door after stepping inside.

“Oh, okay!” She calls out, a nervous laugh leaving her system. “Does Natsu need anything else?”

“I’m fine don’t worry, I’ll just try on the shirts for now.” He calls back. He still sounded giddy with nerves, but Juvia could hear the rustling of clothes, so she stepped back to give him some extra privacy. “Go return the thing, I’ll be here.”

“Is Natsu sure?”

“I promise, I’ll be here.”

The way he said it, softly and with an audible smile, had Juvia’s heart in her ears. “O-Okay!”

The girls behind the counter were quick and efficient, even with their friendly conversation, and though neither asked her about the cufflinks, Juvia was suspicious that it was mostly due to overhearing her and Natsu's conversation. Either way, she appreciated it.

“He’s trying on dress shirts?” The shorter girl signals to the changing room. Juvia nods. “If he needs dress pants too we do have some over there in the back.”

“Thank you!” Juvia smiles as she makes her way over, stuffing her wallet back into her purse, which felt much lighter now that the cufflinks were gone. Most of the pants seemed to be black or at the very least shades dark enough to pass as black. Juvia didn’t know Natsu’s measurements, but she vaguely remembered him and Gray sharing clothes a long while back, so she took a chance by grabbing Gray’s size before returning to Natsu. She knocks gently on the door. 

“Juvia?”

“Yes, Juvia brought Natsu some pants if he wants to try.”

“Oh, yeah, pass them over!” 

“Juvia hopes they fit.” She stands on the tips of her toes to slide them over the door. “Did Natsu find a shirt he likes yet?”

“Yeah, I’ll show it to you with the pants on, give me a minute!”

She hums as a reply, leaning on the wall besides the door to his dressing room. “Juvia is sure Natsu will look handsome!”

“Of course I will.”

“Ahh, someone sounds cocky.” She laughs. “If that’s the case then Natsu doesn’t need Juvia’s compliments.”

“I’d never get tired of your compliments.”

“Maybe, but what if Juvia gets bored of complimenting Natsu?”

“Then,” The door creaks open slowly, and Juvia feels the need to shrink and stand up to her full height all at once. “I’ll make it so that you have no other choice.” Natsu’s smile is smug; it’s obvious Juvia didn’t hide her ogling very well.

“Haha, how funny.” She tries, but her eyes are still glued to the lace shoulders of his shirt. Under the black fabric, Juvia can see Natsu’s tan skin and the dips of his collar bone. She’s so used to seeing Natsu without a shirt, and yet this cheeky display behind the flowery pattern drives her crazy. She tears her eyes away, only to look down his legs to the pants that hugged his legs and highlighted his pretty waist and hips.  _ Oh no. _

A sultry chuckle snaps her attention back to Natsu’s eyes, which lock her in place as he regards her behind half-closed lids. “I look that good, huh?” His voice betrays the intensity of his gaze as amusement is very evident in his tone.

Still, she feels a knot in her throat that she can’t clear. “Natsu-san looks…nice.”

He blinks at her, his sensual image dissolving as he leans in with a huge smile. “What did you just say? Did you just call me ‘Natsu-san’?”

_ Did I!?  _ “W-What? No!”

“I totally heard you! You were all ‘Ohhh, Natsu-san~! You look so hot!’” He drapes himself on the door frame, declaring what – in her opinion – is the worst impression of her voice she’s heard yet.

“Juvia didn’t say that!” She wants to be annoyed at him for being annoying and attractive and annoyingly attractive, and she wants to be upset over the fact that she’d been caught drooling red-handed. Instead, Juvia is amused. Embarrassed beyond belief, but she's laughing as she tries to get him to shut up and leave her alone, her giggling only increasing as his impression of her gets more and more ridiculous.

“Just admit it, Juves; you totally think I’m hot, and if you don’t then you’re crazy.” He whispers with a low chuckle near her ear. His hand rests by her head on the wall behind her, his elbow touching her exposed collarbone softly.

Juvia surprises herself then, keeping him in place by the loops of his pants.  _ So much for taking it slow and sweet _ . “Juvia,” She whispers back. “Is not crazy…”

“Excuse me?” Startled, they release eachother speedily, with Juvia knocking her funny bone on the door frame and Natsu choking on his own spit. The taller of the girls looks amused, but not upset or even embarrassed at the scene she’d interrupted. She addresses Juvia as she speaks. “You didn’t ask, but since you were looking for trousers and shirts I thought I’d inform you that we also have shoes, and since we’re restocking for the season multiple pairs have a discount.”

“Oh, that is wonderful!” Juvia’s voice cracks, but she steps forwards anyways. “Please, could you show us?”

The girl nods, jumping into recommendations straight away, and though Juvia tries she hears none of them. Her heart is still pumping rapidly against her ribs, and her stomach feels empty and full simultaneously. She cups her face, hoping her cold hands would ease away the redness that surely plagued her face. 

Juvia does her best to tune back into what the employee is saying – something about faux leather? – when she feels Natsu bump her arm. He smiles playfully at her, and she can't help but nudge him back, the easy air returning around them.

She misses the small plastic bag in his hands completely. 


	11. Slummin' It (Pt.1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very sorry for being MAI for a while, especially after last time I said I'd try not to be.
> 
> Long story short, I was, up 'till Sunday 22nd of November, working in a place that was really bad for my anxiety. I was shaking constantly, flinching at anything that I cought in the corners of my vision, and I even started to have nightmares and a resurface of my insomnia- even with sleeping aids.
> 
> As mentioned, I have now quit, and while I'm still a little jittery and haven't regulated my sleeping hours yet, I'm sure I'll be okay now :-)
> 
> I think I've said that the rewriting for the story is finished so now it's just a matter of posting it, and I do have a one shot for Kakegurui queued up to be published after this Navia fic.
> 
> And since I have been meaning to write something - well quite a few things, since I have a lot of prompts and ideas - for Haikyuu, I'll start writing them out as soon as this chapter goes live :-Dc
> 
> Thank you so much for sticking around, coming back, or just joining in!!
> 
> ENJOY <3

Natsu wasn’t known for being a baby, or at the very least, he didn’t think he was. 

Yet, as he lays on his bed, blankly staring at the ceiling, all he wants to do is talk to Juvia. 

He wants to run around town helping her with preparations for the weekend, he wants to go on missions with her, he wants to sit with her in her kitchen and just…be with her. 

It's bordering on pathetic at this point.

The whole morning, Natsu’s mind had pushed the image of her into his head. Usually he found Thursday’s to be completely uneventful -maybe he'd train or go for a jog, or the occational outing for lunch with Lucy or Happy- but everything he did today made him think about her, and it was getting out of hand if he was being earnest. He’d lost count of how many reps he’d done and almost dropped a weight on his foot...and that still  _ hadn’t _ been the worst infraction of the day.

No, the worse infraction had happened mid push up, when his brain pulled Juvia back into his focus. 

Suddenly she was pinned under him, her face flushed like it’d been in the boutique. Her hair a halo around her, with her chest rising and falling rapidly with short, out-of-breath pants. Her collar bone was slick, wet with her sweat and his saliva, and her eyes –  _ Oh, Gods, her eyes! _

It’d been then that his hand slipped, causing him to fall flat on his nose against his wooden floor.

A bloody nose and two cold showers later, here he was.

Still red faced.

Still still thinking about her.

With a frustrated sigh, Natsu sits up. He ruffles the few drops of water left out of his hair, pushing it back behind his ears. He tries to think of Juvia once again, in a less heated way; she was his friend afterll, and a lady to boot. Natsu shouldn't be thinking of her like that. Instead, focusing on her big smile and her cheeks squishing her eyes, his body loses some tension. If he tunes into this mental image a little harder, it's almost like he can hear her clearly, laughing and joking around with him like a vivid memory. This was more his speed.

He was a hormonal monster, he wouldn’t lie about it or deny it, but...Juvia is more to him than that.

Feeling a little more at peace with himself, Natsu eases himself back down, using his arms as a pillow.

Yesterday he’d been a nervous wreck. The moment Juvia told him Gray was out of the picture, all he wanted to do was ask her out. He was so close to biting off his tongue just to make sure he didn’t, but settled for hiding in the dressing room instead. His heart had almost crawled out of his chest, and he admits to pinching himself once or twice. 

_ But that doesn’t mean she likes me _ . 

He keeps reminding himself because it’s true. Just because Juvia called it quits didn’t mean she did it for him, or that she was even over Gray- much less that she'd be willing to jump into something so soon after their split. She’d liked him for such a long time, and regardless of how things ended, Natsu knew it wasn’t easy to move on from a lover.

There were always insecurities and doubts that followed you into your new relationships. Fears of repeating mistakes or creating new errors. He wasn’t a stranger to hesitation or dread. God knows how awkward it was between him and Lucy once it finally clicked in their head that romance wasn't in their cards, at least not with one another. Lucy was always meant to be his home, his friend, and his family, and Natsu knows this is what Lucy has in him too. But Juvia and Gray, and for that matter Juvia and himself, that's a whole different dynamic.

In fact, now that his thoughts are reeling, Juvia’s lack of response to his confession bounces around in his head. Her shocked gaze and chipped finger were certainly not good, but her lingering touch and reluctantance to him leaving on the other hand...

_ That means something…right?  _

_ Right? _

With a groan, Natsu rolls out o f bed, grabbing his towel from his chair as he makes his way back to the bathroom.

* * *

Everything was ready.

The tarp was confirmed to be set up around three, catering would arrive an hour or so later, and the flowers would be freshly picked and delivered that day. All guests had RSVP’d and the few who couldn’t make it had sent gifts through the mail even though they didn’t have to. Everything on her list was ticked off, and yet Juvia’s nerves still rumbled under her skin.

_ What the heck is Juvia missing? _

She sighs in exasperation, tightening her ponytail as she turns left to head home. This was her fourth lap around her neighborhood but her energy had yet to decrease. No matter the burn in her calfs or the sting of her feet she's still worrying and fussing over the Ceremony, her mind refusing to let her thoughts drift to other matters. Her leggings cling to her as she picks up speed, desperately trying to tire herself out fully. The damn thing is less than three days away; she has no time to second guess anything.

Sweat makes its way down her neck as she runs along the sidewalk, skillfully dodging out of the way of other runners and pedestrians. Saturday may be her current focus, but it certainly wasn’t the only thing plaguing her today. Everytime she found her thoughts drifting to Natsu, Juvia would immediately force her attention back to the party, each time further solidifying in her mind that she was forgetting something, which would lead to her trying to zone in on something else and repeating the pointless cycle.

As much as she wants to do another round, Juvia’s lungs beg for air and bring her to a halt at the steps of her house. Her breaths are deep as she tries to calm her heart, her shirt stuck flushed to her back as she rests over her railing.  _ Juvia needs to collect herself and soon. _

“Someone looks out of breath.” An amused voice speaks besides her.

“Lucy.” Juvia rasps, making eye contact with the blonde lounging on her steps. Her boxy green shorts look awfully familiar, and her sweater hides away most of her hands, even when she goes to tuck her hair behind her ear.  _ She looks pretty today, _ Juvia notes, feeling embarrassed as another bead of sweat rolls down her cheek. 

Lucy smiles as she looks away. "Were you expecting someone else? Sorry to disappoint." Before Juvia can disagree, the shorter of the two stands up and stretches with a mewl. Her eyes look a little duller when they meet Juvia’s once more. "Can we talk?"

Juvia nods, doing her best to breathe normally through her nose. Lucy leads the way up the steps, waiting for the taller to let her inside. Once the door closes behind them, neither speak or make a move to do so, though there's an attempt on Lucy's part to not show discomfort at the awkwardness in the air. Juvia racks around for anything she can bring up to break the ice, but while they were in much better terms, to say that they were close…would be incredibly inaccurate. 

“Ah, is Lucy hungry?” Juvia tries after her failed search for conversation topics. “Juvia can chop up some fruit? O-Or if anything, Juvia has some pudding?”

Lucy dismisses her with a wave of her hand. “Thank you, but I’m not really hungry. Can I, well, can  _ we _ sit?”

Juvia nods. Lucy’s posture when she plops down on the couch is poor. She’s curved into herself, her shoulders hunched close to her as if trying to take as little space as possible. Her knees are pressed tightly together, and Juvia can almost hear her bones grinding together from the contact created by Lucy’s rapidly bouncing foot. 

Juvia didn't have to be a genius to read her.

Without thinking, she extends her hands to Lucy’s face, touching her forehead. She flinches, but doesn’t pull away, her eyes becoming droopy as she settles into Juvia’s hold. “Lucy feels a little warm.”

“I was sitting out there for a while. You passed me twice, but I didn’t want to bother you.”

Juvia nods, running the pads of her thumbs over Lucy’s brows in a desperate attempt to erase the crease between them. Lucy’s skin is warm and dry on her hands, and the smaller’s breath tickles her palms. Juvia wants to scoot closer to her so she can hold Lucy properly, but her legs don’t seem to be working. Though her arms start to ache from the position, she stays put, cradling Lucy’s face in her hands.

“Juvia?” Small fingers wrap around her wrists, Lucy’s voice a cracked whisper.

“Yes?”

“There’s something I need to tell you.” Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her voice breaking as she continues. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t say anything sooner. I wanted to, but I didn’t want to hurt you. I know that you say we’re not friends, not really, but to me you're– you really are my friend...” Juvia feels tears trail down Lucy’s cheeks. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Juvia tightens her grip on Lucy, pulling the girl towards her. Lucy follows until her face is buried in Juvia’s chest, her chubby fingers balling up her shirt and her tomach pressing into Juvia’s knees as she trembles. Stroking Lucy’s back with one hand, Juvia uses her other hand to wipe away tears with her thumb.

She knew Lucy never had as much bite in their supposed feuding as she did, but she had never heard the blonde call Juvia her friend before. Her heart fell full, though Juvia was unsure if it was love for Lucy finally rising to the surface or if it was pain over hearing her sobs. It likely was both.

Lucy’s sweater itches against her bare arms, and Juvia’s sure that kneeling for this long wasn’t gonna do the girl any favors. Yet, instead of pulling her off, Juvia carefully slides off her own chair, bringing Lucy to sit with her head on her shoulder.

She sniffles at the action, but cuddles closer to Juvia still. “I’m sorry.”

Juvia wraps both her arms around her, shaking her head against the top of Lucy’s. “It is okay. Lucy can cry; Juvia will not judge her for doing so.”

“I shouldn’t be the one crying though.”

“That is still okay with Juvia. Unless Lucy wants her to cry too?”

She laughs, and Juvia feels warmth bubble in her stomach at the feeling of it. “No, I guess I don’t want you to cry if I can help it.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

“I thought you hated me.” Lucy’s murmers, but a smirk is still audible in her tone.

“Juvia has been learning a lot of things about herself lately.” She hums thoughtfully. “But she can reconsider her feelings towards Lucy if she’d like.”

Another laugh. “No, I think I like this Juvia too.” Lucy sighs, and, finally, it seems like all the tension leaves her body. She turns so that her cheek is pressed against Juvia’s collarbone, nose brushing against her neck. “I didn’t mean to cry. That was really lame of me.”

“Crying is not lame; if it is, then Juvia is also pretty lame.”

“That's fine, we'll be lame together then.”

Juvia is the one to laugh this time, resting her head back on the edge of the chair behind her. She rubs circles onto Lucy’s arms, feeling the other play with the hem of Juvia’s shirt. It’s so peaceful like this, Juvia notes. It’s comforting to have Lucy here with her – every other thought is gone and she can’t for her life remember what was stressing her out before.

She didn’t try  _ that _ hard to remember anyway.

“Hey, Juvia?” Lucy’s voice so close to her ear sends goosebumps up her arms.

“Yes, Lucy?” 

“I know what Gray did that night.”

Juvia nods. She doesn’t ask for more information and Lucy doesn’t elaborate. 

Instead, Lucy pulls away from her, reaching over to cup Juvia’s face. Without much choice, Juvia’s eyes meet hers. 

Something in her tells her she won’t cry. It tells her her lungs will still burn and her stomach will still unsettle. It tells her the shart sting will dull, but never really leave, even if she ceases to feel it or give it importance. 

Still, ignoring everything she's saying to herself, Lucy guides Juvia gently until it’s her who’s resting on the other’s shoulder. She holds both of Juvia’s hands in her own, leaning to rest her cheek on the top of the others head.  Her limbs are heavy and hollow, and Lucy’s sweater feels even worse on her face. Juvia's sore, smelly, and tired, so she squeezes Lucy’s hands just to make sure she's still there.

Lucy squeezes back.

_ There is something so consoling _ , Juvia thinks as she closes her eyes, nuzzling deeper into scratchy yarn,  _ In not being alone when hurting. _


	12. Slummin' It (Pt.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahaha when did I last update hahaha

Juvia has no recollection of falling asleep, but when she opens her eyes the sky is dark. Her first thought is that night has fallen, but a quick glance at her clock tells her it’s early next morning.  _ Or early  _ **_this_ ** _ morning _ , She supposes.

Her Friday morning is off to a sluggish start.

Her neck is stiff no matter which angle she holds herself at and both her legs are numb from having slept while sitting up. Stretching out or standing would be in her best interest if she wants to wake up her prickling limbs, but Juvia remains totally still. Lucy’s breathing is slow and steady as the top half of her body drapes over Juvia’s legs while she rests. Gently, Juvia lays a hand on the curve of Lucy’s waist, almost pulling away when the blonde shifts. When she stays asleep, Juvia relaxes once more, gently rubbing her thumb along the yarn of Lucy's green sweater.

How many more times was she going to wake on her floor instead of her bed? How many more times will she not be alone when she does? Juvia’s hand rises and falls along with Lucy’s breaths, a small smile creeping into her face. 

_ Lucy is not nearly as warm as Natsu.  _

Lazily tracing her hand up to fiddle with the tips of honey-coloured hair, Juvia finds her thoughts drifting away. Her stomach coils and her palms sweat at the mere idea of Natsu still. Something about his prescense and the space he too drove her to lose her self control. He was wild and unpredictable, but calling him a flame or a spark was too easy. Fire could warm a body, but it couldn't heat up her being the way Natsu did, flushing her down to her shoulders and her thighs. One moment he's the friend she'd always seeked for as a child, yet the next he burns her with his gaze. Within seconds the goofy smily turns sly, speaking words in a way that make Juvia hone in on the curve of his rosy lips and the cream of his canines.

There had been so many chances to kiss him and each one she passed up.

_ It is too soon _ . She’d told herself.  _ Natsu deserves more than ‘too soon’. _

* * *

Natsu lays with his head hanging off the bed until the preassure of the blood rushing to his face is too much.

The party's tomorrow but he’s itching from head to toe for it to come already. He still has the smell of the flowers in the shop fresh in his mind, and though it hadn’t been difficult to move them, his arms twitch as he recalls the weight of the vases and their smooth ceramic bodies. Thoughts shift back to shopping for himself, and he shoots a quick glance in the direction of his new shirt and pants – hung still in their plastic slips for safe keeping.

If he closes his eyes, Natsu can still see Juvia in her yellow sundress; the skirt swishing around her legs as she walks, the cut of the neck and its sleeves - or lack of in this case - highlighting the softness of her collar bone. He rolls himself onto the floor before his mind can go anywhere unholy, the small of his back landing with a soft thud, but it doesn’t hurt and he doesn’t mind.

Rather than get up, Natsu focuses on the small bag hanging from one of the knobs of his dresser. He drags himself towards it, too lazy to stand and unwilling to pull himself together, and reaching up with a grunt he manages to unhook the bag into his grip. He has to get up at some point, find some wrapping paper or a bag for this, so that it looks presentable when he gifts it at the party.

He just doesn’t have to just yet.

His fingers dig inside the bag, pulling out the sleek silver chain. He holds the necklace above his face, it’s ruby pendant bumping his nose in the process as it swings free from the small pastic bag. The light streaming from behind his shades catches the crystal as it sways, making red tinted light dance around the room. The pendant is demure, shaped somewhere between round and boxy, but the moment it caught his eye in the boutique he had to buy it.

He’s never picked a gift out for a girl before – other than Lucy, of course, but Lucy was, well, Lucy.

Juvia was Juvia.

Lucy was easy to be around with and easy to rile up if he tried. She was his friend and his partner, and she had been for as long as he could recall, or at least it'd felt like that for a while now. And Natsu knew her better than he knew himself sometimes, especially when comparing how well he knew anyone else at the guild. He knew how Lucy drank her coffee and which vegetables she found gross. From the brand of her shampoo to her allergies or even her favorite smells -- Lucy was known and familiar.

As much as he hated to admit it, Natsu didn’t know half as much about Juvia.

Through the course of their last couple days together he’d learned more about her than he had in her whole time in the guild; it was great and disheartening all at once. How much would he know now if he’d made the effort sooner? How much more was there to learn? How much was she willing to share with him? Was she too, lying on the floor of her home, wondering how much more there was to him to figure out, or was she happy to learn as they grew closer?

The pendant bumps his nose once more, snapping him out of the moment. Natsu brings the necklace closer to himself, cradling the piece in both hands as he rests them atop his chest. He can feel his heart start to drum in excitement.

He tries to picture Juvia’s face upon receiving his gift; tries to envision how the red of his birthstone would look against her skin. Natsu sees her smile wide, her hands pressed over the pendant as she thanks him. He almost kisses her then, in his fantasy where he can, but sits up before his daydream goes any further. 

If it were up to him, Natsu would stay on the ground thinking of every possible place he could hold or kiss Juvia on.

Instead, he settles for picking himself off the floor, slipping the necklace back into its bag, which he then re-hangs from his dresser. With a stretch and groan, he slips on his shoes and steps out of the house.

He holds his hand before his eyes, adjusting slowly to the bright sun in the clear sky. A small chuckle brushes past his lips, and Natsu recognizes the giddiness building up as he heads into town. He's wrapped gifts for and with Lucy before, so he has a good idea of what to look for. Closing his eyes and clearly picturing Juvia’s delighted expression once more, Natsu smiles to himself as he awaits for the next time he'll get to see her.

* * *

The second time Juvia wakes up it’s to the smell of coffee.

Her neck is somehow in worse condition than before, but at the very least it seems like a fair amount of time has passed since she was last conscious. She stretches with a mewl, wincing in surprise as most of her back cracks at the action. Flexing her hand a couple times causes more little pops withing her fingers, though she still diligently cracks each knuckle one by one.

“Hey,” Lucy pops her head from the kitchen. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

Juvia goes to answer but only manages a yawn and a slow shake of her head.

“Would you like some coffee? Sorry I helped myself, by the way.” She walks over, offering Juvia a hand to aid her to her feet. Juvia’s legs feel like jello, and if it weren’t for Lucy’s solid grip on her she might’ve tumbled back down. “I didn’t mean to overstep or anything, I just thought you might want some once I woke you.”

Juvia shakes her head with a smile. “It is fine. Juvia would love some coffee.”

They sit at the table, drinking their coffee in comfortable silence. 

While Juvia's mug is a sandy brown shade from the milk she's added, Lucy's coffee remainds dark and murky, but if Juvia's half empty sugar container is anything to go off of, her guess is the blonde's coffee is the furthest thing from bitter. Every few sips, Lucy will stir her cup again, and every time she does, Juvia’s eyes follow the spoon’s movement, her ears honing in on the soft clinking of mental on glass. Lucy looks as tired as Juvia feels, but also much better than she did yesterday. Her hair is frizzed up and it seemed like she’d drooled slightly in her sleep, but her peachy skin looked healthier today, and her cheeks looked full and beautiful with the sleepy smile she wore inbetween sips.

_ Good for Lucy _ . Juvia smiles to herself, hiding the act with another swig of her own drink.

“I can’t believe your party is tomorrow.” Lucy says, gaze on Juvia now. “Do you need any last minute help?”

“Natsu helped Juvia the other day, but the offer is still greatly appreciated.” 

“Yeah? Offer still stands just in case, okay?”

“Alright.”

“So it’s really happening, huh? I’ve never been to a coming of age or any sort of magic ceremony before; not like this anyways.” Her eyes glitter with excitement. “How does it work?”

“Natsu and Lucy are so alike!” She giggles while the blonde rolls her eyes, though Juvia knows it’s in good humor. “It is not as complicated as it may look. Water mages can turn their body’s mass into liquid – most of us _are_ made  of it – yet we do not behave the way normal liquid does. During the ceremony, an incantation will allow us to return to a natural state, where we can evaporate and be absorbed by the earth, though only for a little. It is a right of passage meant to thank and to humble.”

“That’s so cool! It won’t hurt though, right? Are you gonna do the spell?”

“Juvia does not think it will, but it is not totally improbable.” She shrugs, laughing as Lucy flashes her a worried look. “And no, Juvia does not do the reciting herself- .”  _ Oh no. _

In an instant, Juvia’s good mood vanishes. Her mind finally zeroing in on what she’d forgotten: the reciter.

She’d been so focused on keeping busy with the party portion of the event, she’d completely neglected the ceremony part. Traditionally, family would read the encantation for the Mage, whether a parent or guardian or a sibling wasn't of concern, but it was believed familial ties worked best. She had already been testing her luck when she'd asked for Gray to read the chant as he boyfriend, but now... _Now_ _ Gray is no longer with Juvia…  _ Her throat closes in as her stomach sinks.

“Are you excited?” Lucy’s voice snaps her back into the present.

“Juvia is…”  _ Scared, worried, totally screwed.  _ She does her best to smile, swallowing around the cotton-like feel of her mouth. “Nervous.”

Lucy reaches over to place her hand on Juvias, rubbing her knuckles softly. “Don’t be! We’ll all be there for you, okay? I’m sure everything will go according to plan.”

Juvia doesn’t respond, choosing instead to bite down on the inside of her cheek in an attempt to keep rising worries at bay. “Right.”

There’s a knock on the door, and Juvia can’t stop the relief flooding into her as she slips her hand from under Lucy's before excusing herself to answer the door. Anything to not talk about the ceremony.  _ Anything to not think about Gray.  _

Juvia brushes her hair behind her ears, flattening out her slept in, sweaty clothes from the day prior to try and look presentable. Once she's sure she's done all she can to fix herself, she reaches over to open the door.

Gray’s standing behind it, white button down over a black long sleeve and jeans. 

_ You have got to be fucking kidding. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it was sorta short and sorry that there was a lot of Simping!Natsu pfff  
> all the rewriting for these has already been completed, I just sorta double check them and make minor edits on AO3s editing thingy before posting like a heathen ;-Pc
> 
> anyways pls dont cancel me i hope you enjoyed!!


	13. The Evening of The 18th Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> second to last chapter lets gooooooooooooooo

After her less than stellar initial thought, Juvia does her best to steady her breathing as subtly as possible. There's dark bags of worry under his eyes, the usual cream of his skin dulled over with an unhealthy oily sheen. Rutine fussing and need to fawn over him try to take over, so she digs her nails into her palm to still herself from reaching out to him. Sweat starts to pool through her fingers from her iron grip on the doorknob.

“Hey.” He says. “Can I come in? I want to talk to you.”

Juvia almost decks him in the jaw for it. 

“Juvia has company right now.” She says instead.

“Oh, uh, sorry.” Gray has the decency to look bashful, swipping his hand through unrully hair. He’s beautiful and she hates him for it. “It’s kind of important though…”

“Gray can come back later if that is the case.”

“It’s okay, Juvia.” Both turn to Lucy, who leans by the kitchen arch with arms crossed and a cocked hip. “I was gonna head out soon anyways.”

Before Juvia can protest –  _ No, Lucy is fine; Gray should be the one to leave.  _ – the shorter girl strides up to her, giving her a reassuring smile with a hand on her shoulder. Juvia does her best to appear comforted, though she has a feeling Lucy didn’t buy it. Through her shirt, Lucy's hand feels tepid, but the weight is enough to keep her grounded. If Lucy leaves, there is no garanteed outcome.

Even so, Juvia steps aside. Lucy shoves past Gray wordlessly, flashing a final wave before heading down the steps and up the street. Juvia watched her blode hair bounce lightly until she turns a corner and vanishes from sight. 

Gray clears his throat softly, an expectant look on his face. 

She forces a smile as she lets him in. “What did Gray want to talk about?”

“A lot, actually.” Guilt is readable in his eyes as he gazes down at her. “I don’t know if you’re ready or even want to hear what happened, but if you are I’ll give you the answers you deserve.”

She bites her cheek.“It is…" _Do not stutter._ "Not exactly something Juvia wishes to discuss, no. But she knows she should at some point.” 

Gray nods, hands deep in his pockets. Juvia’s home feels stuffy and foreign, the air thick with mutual unease and her own frustration. Heat gathers around her neck and her face; the mental strain of keeping emotionally composed taking a physical toll. Not once had silence felt this way between them.

"Are you nervous?" He eyes the hardwood floor.

"No." 

"I see…"

It's true that Juvia isn't nervous.

But she’s angry.

She's hurt and she's scared, and her frustration's forming into a knot which she cannot untagle. Tears gather in her eyes. She looks up to keep them from dropping. "What if it does not work?" 

"It will."

"It will not."

"It will."

She laughs, earnestly wiping her face as she meets his eyes. “For so long, Juvia has been on her own, and she knows she has the guild and her friends, but...Juvia has wanted to be a part of something for so long and now…This was her only chance, and Gray was supposed to be a part of it to. He was suppoused to be here for her…It is not going to work without him.” 

"Juvia it is _going_ to work." Gray states, his hands attempting reassurance as the squeeze her arms.

Juvia doesn't have the strenght to pull free from his grasp. "Gray, everything about this is meticulous and perfectly calculated! From the angle of the moon light to which clothing to wear, this is not something that can be fixed with blind believing!” 

"It’ll work, I promise."

"STOP SAYING THAT!" She shoves him off. "'It'll work, it'll work', is that all Gray knows how to say? Juvia does not even trust Gray anymore, how can the spell even attempt to function when there is no bond, no love, no conection!?" 

Juvia chokes, her words stinging her eaqually as much as she knew they stung him. Gray stand with his arms still outstreched from when she'd pushed him away. His brow is creased and his eyes glimmer in the light. Juvia sniffles, wiping her cheeks harshly with her wrist.

"…Right." He brings his hands back to his pockets with a shaky exhale.  "Well…I know everything will be alright." She snorts. "Because I won't be the one doing it."

Juvia halts. "What?"

"Juvia, I can't possibly read the chant for you. You said so yourself, we're-" A sad laugh passing his lips. “I know I loved you…But there’s someone I slept with a couple weeks prior. They're…It’s because of them that I can’t risk your safety. I loved you, I _still_ love you, but it's not what you want or whant you need. Not for that night." He pauses when Juvia sobs. "I can’t be the one to do it– I won’t be.”

“So what is Juvia supposed to do?” She hisses, too afraid to raise her voice for fear it'd crack. She pokes his chest harshly, all her anguish and resentment conveyed in the way her nail digs into his sternum. “All Juvia had was this…!” Her words lump in her mouth. “All Juvia had, everything she ever needed, was  _ you _ , Gray.” 

“I’m sorry.” And she knows he is, but it doesn’t change anything. “I’m so sorry.”

“Juvia does not care that you like someone else.” It tastes like a lie when she says it, but she carries on anyways. “She would have hurt for a while, but then she would have moved on. And she still would have always loved you.” 

“Juvia,” He says her name like it pains him to do so.

“What Juvia cannot excuse is the lying.” She swallows. “The moment Gray realized he no longer desired a relationship with Juvia he should have said something. Then maybe, infidelity would not be something Juvia now associates with him. Maybe he would have spared her a little bit of pain”

“I should’ve talked to you.” Gray clenches his teeth as he talks. “I know I should’ve – that day when I came back from that mission, and the day you came back from yours – either time I should’ve said something. Maybe instead of attempting to fix a one-sided fuck up I should've just given you a clean break and avoided all this. I’m sorry, Juvia. I'm sorry for everything.”

Not trusting words to work, she lowers a quivering hand from Gray’s chest. The sounds of her home appliances fill the quiet space between them, along a couple stray sniffles. Juvia looks at her untied laces, the distance that separated her and Gray’s shoes seemed to expand the longer her gaze focused on it. The after taste of coffee and the dryness of her mouth is becoming unbarable when accompanies by her sticky face and runny nose. She rubs her eyes, tired and defeated.

“So what is Juvia supposed to do? She has no family that can read for her.”

“We’ll find someone.”

Part of her wants to keep yelling, wants to throw a tantrum so massive the city’s canals flood into the streets. It’s childish of her to want more fighting, to want to open more wounds that help no one, but she can’t help it.  _ How awful,  _ another sniffle.  _ Juvia had been having such a lovely time with with Lucy too. _

_ And with Natsu… _

What would he do in her place? He’d likely take the challenge in stride with a smile. He was so willing to take on difficulties when Juvia was ready to shuffle past them and avoid them. It was starting to feel like that’s all that she brought to the table. She thinks of Natsu’s smile, the way his lips would move as he spoke reassuring words in her ear – if she focuses hard enough, she can feel his calloused fingers on her scalp as he ruffled her hair with a grin and a chuckle. 

_ 'We'll find someone.' _ She can hear him say. _'Don't you worry, okay?'_

Juvia sighs as her nerves start to settle. She’s about to agree with Gray for the first time today, give him a smile and take up his offer of helping her find someone else. Maybe things could work after all.

It's then Juvia realizes his shoes are no longer in her line of sight.

She shoots upright, a breeze hitting her wet cheeks as she scans the room. Her curtains flow with the wind that now circles her vacant living room. Darting to her window, Juvia sticks her head out, leaning over the sill until it presses painfully into her ribcage. The cold air numbs her face in an instant as her stomach drops.

Gray's long gone.

* * *

“Thank you, have a nice day!”

“Thank you!” Natsu calls back as he walks out of the store. He drums his fingers against his thigh as he swings the plastic bag with his purchases inside. While the small box wasn't what he had in mind, its deep blue shade sprinkled with silver stars was close to the wrapping paper he had envisioned for Juvia. The store assitant had helped him pick a ribbon to secure the box close, and had been kind enough to show him how to tie it himself.

Needless to say, Natsu was ectastic. 

He’s practically buzzing as he makes his way back home, taking slow breaths as he walks. The city itself seems to be in a good mood along with him. People are perusing around, laughter and conversation hits his ears and disappears just as fast as groups and couples make their way around him. The afternoon sun beats persistently on his shoulders, and even with the cool breeze he’s a little warmer than comfortable. Still, every step he takes has a little pep in it, the shade of store parasols and trees leave him feeling anew.

He’s half tempted to cross the street and buy himself some taiyaki and ice cream while he’s out, but Natsu’s aware that he bought other stuff along with his gift supplies, so he can’t loiter around in the heat unless he wants his frozens to unfreeze.

_ Speaking of _ … 

After a little rummaging, he finds the popsicle he’d gotten earlier. Natsu doesn’t bother to look for a bin, opting to pocket the trash in order to eat his lolly right away. It’s a bad habit, to bite into cold things like an impatient child, but the sharp stinging in his teeth is something he’s used to by now – even if it doesn’t make it any less unpleasant.

Cool lemon hits his taste buds, and he can’t hold back the satisfied sigh that leaves his mouth. 

Natsu sucks down on the popsicle as he reaches for his keys, unlocking his door with a happy hum. He got his groceries, he got the gift box for Juvia's necklace,  _ and _ he got a delightful treat; truly a productive Friday after his… unusual Thursday.

“Hey.”

The lolly hits the back of Natsu’s throat as he gasps, his gag reflex kicking in shortly after. He goes down in a coughing fit, treat spat out and forgotten on his floor, as he tries to not choke once more on all the excess spit he’s produced.

“Oh shit, my bad.”

Natsu glares through teary eyes at Gray, who hovers over him unhelpfully. “What the fuck, dude?”

“I was waiting for you to get home.”

“Inside my house?” He asks incredulously. 

“It was hot outside.” Gray shrugs, so Natsu throws the popsicle at his face. He takes in the other’s screech in delight. “That was in your mouth, dumbass!”

“You better hope my box didn’t get crushed when I fell.” Natsu dusts himself off, unconcerned.

“What box?”

“Oh, I got this box– ” Natsu pauses with a hand in the bag. “What are you doing here?” He glares once more. “You never come to my house.”

“That’s because your house is a mess.”

“My house is clean right now, thank you very much.”  _ If you don't open any cubards or drawers, that is.  _ He hopes Gray didn't further invade his space by looking around. “Why are you here, Gray?”

“Do you…” He bites the inside of his cheek. “Do you know? About me and Juvia?”

“Which part? The cheating or the break up?” Gray winces, and though Natsu feels guilty it's not a lot. “Yeah, I know. What of it?”

He seems to take a moment to ponder Natsu’s question. Eventually, Gray’s stance drops, and he backsteps until he can plop down on the bed with a hard sigh. “I need a favor.”

“Why would I want to help you with anything right now? You hurt my friend, Gray; I don’t exactly think of you highly at the moment.”

Gray’s mouth tugs into a sad smirk. “So you thought of me highly before?”

“I did.” He didn’t seem to expect Natsu to be so honest. Natsu crosses his arms tightly over his chest, keeping his emotions in check. “You’re my friend, Gray. You’re a comrade, a partner, and a rival to me. Though we fight all the time, and I think you’re super stupid– ”

“Thanks.”

“ –you’re part of the reason I am who I am now. You drove me to work hard and do my best.”

“…Oh.” 

“But knowing what you did, _seeing_ _it_ ; it’s really disappointing, man.” Gray shrinks further into himself. “Why did you do it, Gray? Juvia was your girlfriend, emphasis on friend – how could you treat her like that?”

“I have excuses.” He croaks out. “I have them, not that any of them are worth anything. Deep down, I’m sure I know the real reason as to why I slept with someone else, but even then it doesn’t feel real.” Gray cups his hands over his nose and mouth, resting his elbows on his knees as he leans over. “I’m a shitty boyfriend and even shittier friend, and I know all of this already.”

“Are you sure ‘cause I can keep reminding you, I really don’t mind.” 

“I came here from Juvia’s house, so no thanks.”

This stops Natsu’s voice in his throat, arms uncrossing as he walks over to him. The crinkling of the bags as he sets them down on the table reminds him of his defrosting groceries, but his mind's flooding with information Gray has just provided. Natsu can eat everything he bought tonight no problem anywyas.

He sinks onto the bed, knee bumping into Gray’s slightly. The other’s hold on his face falters at the contact, and though he lowers his hands, he remains hunched over.

“What did she say?” 

“She cried a little.”

“That was expected.”

“She yelled at me too.”

“Good for her.”

“But, more than anything, she was freaking out about tomorrow.”

Natsu blinks away the confusion after a second or two. “Like, about the ceremony? Why?”

“I was supposed to help her… I can’t now for obvious reasons. I knew she was nervous under all her excitement. She didn’t pressure me into helping; she was actually gonna ask Gajeel to do it until I asked if I could.” He chuckles. “Juvia was so happy I’d asked – she really wanted me to be part of everything. So much good that did her, huh?”

“Gajeel was gonna help?” Natsu echoes, unwilling to let Gray know he wasn’t totally following.

“She said that, as her closest friend, maybe the incantation could still work if he did it. I argued then that I should do it as the boyfriend. All that’s required is a strong bond of love and trust after all, so why not me? According to the book it usually family that does it, but…”

“Yeah…”  _ We’re all in different decks of the same boat there. _

With a frustrated growl and harsh ruffle of his hair, Gray bows his head between his knees. “I screwed up everything in more ways than one.” 

“At least you’re self-aware.” Natsu doesn’t want to feel sorry for him, so he does his best not to. A couple rubs up Gray’s spine and a pat to the shoulder blade don't count; the pat had been more of a harsh smack anyways. “I’ll figure out how to clean up your mess, asshole, so just get out of my house so I can think.”

“It’s my error to fix, Natsu. I appreciate the thought– ” 

“I’m not offering, I’m stating." His fingers dig into the other's shoulder, brow forrowing as his mind races. "I won’t let anything go wrong tomorrow. You better hope everything goes stellarly, Gray.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahah sorry if anything was hard to follow, hopefully everything better understood with the next and last chapter!  
> thank you for tunnin' in!!!


	14. The Nineteenth Moon Ceremony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello!!!  
> sorry i didn't update yesterday, I took a flight down to see family (ik its sort of irrisponsible giving the virus, but we were worried she wasn't gonna make it to another christmas, and if its any consolation mexico is lockdown rn so we cant see her in the end either fat rip)  
> atop of the jetlag i also had an allergic reaction to something i ate for dinner so this time i have a valid reason as to why the update wasnt on time :-P  
> but omg???  
> it's the last chapter????  
> I did it!!! YOU did it too if you've made it this far!  
> AHHHH I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE IT :-Dc

Any want to go through with the stupid ceremony is gone.  All the excitement, all the craving for familiarity and belonging, the desire to be part of something greater than herself, was gone.  The giddy that had been kinddling in her stomach was gone, leaving heavy ashes in its wake. 

Nestled atop the rubble, the ugly feeling known as fear.

She used to be quite good at masking fear. It was something that rested right beneath her skin when she still knew herself as the Rain Woman of the Element Four; when she'd been nothing more than a nameless Witch.

Now, she’s Juvia Lockser: an almost nineteen year old Water Mage, afraid of what she has to do and who she’s supposed to be every day after tonight.

She rolls over in bed, hugging her pillow closer to her chest. The cool material brushes her lips. Juvia gazes at the light slipping in through her bedroom window, the one that worms the edge of the bed where her feet lie. Dust particles float softly near her curtains, following the sunrays as they decend. 

A big part of her – the cowardly part that hasn’t left since yesterday – drafts what she’s to say to her friends about the Ceremony.  _ ‘Hey, thank you so much for coming tonight, but Juvia cannot go through with it after all, sorry for wasting your Saturday night' _ was so far the only thing she'd come up with that wasn't too depressing to voice.

She knows she needs to get up. She needs to move and do something – literally anything at this point. She has dishes from yesterday that she could wash, or she could dust her windows and get rid of all the particles that keep distracting her when they catch her eye. She could do the laundry or clean the laundry machine itself, by hand too so that it's more time conssuming. She could get ready for tonight; might as well look pretty while she lets everyone down.

_ Not that anyone really knew what to expect of tonight. _

_She_ knew and that's what stung. 

With a loud sigh at nothing and everything, Juvia does eventually roll off the bed.

She lowers herself onto the floor in the least graceful manner, getting on all fours before pushing herself to stand. The room spinned around her until the bloodrush to her head faded. Her pillow's still tucked by her hip as she walks towards her wardrobe. Hanging from the inside of the door is a shapeless, linen dress.

She reaches for it with a weak glare.

Tradition stated that mages were to dress modest – ‘as if untethered to  the earth’ and what not. She couldn’t remember the passage at the moment. The fabric was soft under her fingers as she tugged on it’s long sleeves, the boxy skirt swaying with the motion. 

When she’d send this dress to the tailors to fix the small button on the back of the neck, she’d been excited to wear it. She didn’t care that it was a paper beige shade nor that it sat overly loose on her frame. She hadn’t cared about the fact that she wasn’t supposed to wear make up or accessories, or that she’d have to go barefoot for part of the night.

Juvia was ectastic to follow tradition, willingly and jubilantly, even more so when Gray had asked to become involved.

She closes her wardrobe's door a little harsher than she intended, its usual creaked immediatly followed by the thump of wood on wood. Her reflection looks back from the mirror hanging there. Her skin looks clammy and her hair too oily. Juvia looks no more disheveled than she would after a workout or a quick battle, bu t she's tired. Much  more tousled and worn than she has in months, maybe years.

With a deep breath she straightens to her full height. Rolling her shoulders back and lifting her chin a tad, Juvia stares deep into her own eyes. She is scared and she is anxious, however feeling this way has never once proved helpful. There has to be something she can do – an exception of sorts for the chant or some way she could perform the whole thing by herself. 

There had to be another way.

_ Juvia will make one if she has to _ .

She reaches for the coffee table, ready to slip through the cursed blue book and find an answer at any cost, but her hand grabs at nothing.

It wasn't behind her bookshelf or under her covers. Nor did she find it in the laundry hamper by the shower or atop her fridge. In every drawer she looked she found nothing and even though she had already checked under every cushion she looks again and again and again.

Juvia’s little home had never looked this messy. Clothes were everywhere but their designated places. Books were piled up on the floor and scattered where one of her stacks had fallen. Her couch was flipped over and her bed was completely undressed. 

Every area of her house had been scavanged and torn apart. There was not a single corner or nook she didn't think to check and even the ones that she would normally not bother with – like her dryer or her pantry – turned up no results after thorough inspection. 

Of _course_ it's after she’d managed to pep herself up that 'The Moon And Her Magers' goes missing.

_ This is not happening. _

Her face flushes in frustration, and she can feel her already gross hair puff and frizz with sweat. Her knuckles crack from how hard she clenches her fists. Before she can regain her cool, she’s throwing a plastic cup across the room with a growl. 

The resonating sound of glass breaking brings her back to reality.

The window by her door has a jagged hole in one of its lower panels, and the cup bounces audibly on the sidewalk below. Juvia’s too stunned for a moment, enticed completely by the way the smashed window fragments reflect small rainbows throughout her living room.

This was bad luck – worse beyond her current if that was even possible.

Juvia sighs then shuffles over to step out, investigate the damage, and reclaim her cup. 

As she steps outside, her foot knocks over a small glass vile by her doorstep, spilling its content. A small daisy flows out as spreads out on the concrete of her steps. There is a note tied to the stem of the flower, which soaks in its share of the liquid.

Carefully, Juvia picks up everything. Sliding the daisy back into its vile, she shakes off the excess water before unfolding the wet piece of paper. Her fingers tremble as she does her best to not rip it now that it's damp. Though the ink is runny and the penmanship untidy, Juvia reads it with ease.

After she's read it twice, a smile settles on her lips and Juvia basks in the lightness of her shoulders as her trying morning fades away. 

_ ‘Everything will be fine. Please trust me. -N’ _

* * *

Natsu eyes himself in the mirror.

He's brushed his hair back to the best of his abilities, he’s brushed his teeth and he’s showered. He even spritzed cologne on, something he doesn't usually do since Happy can't stand the smell. His dress pants have been fastened in place with a matching black belt, his shoes are on, and of course – the tan skin of his collar bone is in partial display under his shirt’s lace shoulders.

He looks good but he _feels_ even better. 

Whether it stems from cockiness or self assurance it doesn’t matter to him, Natsu knows he's absolutely stunning right now. He smooths down and retucks his shirt, eyeing himself from different angles in the mirror. His cheeks are rosy with excitement; h e's perfect. 

The present sitting on his coffee table is perfect.

_ And yet _ …

Natsu glares into his reflection's eyes, lips jutting out in a pout. “Stop it, you’re gonna make me doubt and freak out.” He resists the need to ruffle his hair and settles for puffing his cheeks. Releasing the breath he turns to leave.

The lights of his bathroom flicker a few times before shutting off. Beyond his window, the sun had long vanished behind the horizon line with very few clouds scattered in the night sky. He needs to head out now if he wants any chance at not being the last to arrive. 

But he can’t. 

Becaus under all his confidence and bravado, Natsu is sickeningly nervous.

_ Gray’s an idiot; couldn’t he have waited to cheat on Juvia another week? _

He frowns at his own thought. That was uncalled for.  He didn’t mean that. 

Upset with himself, he walks over to plop down on the couch. The small box with the necklace sits patiently for him to stick it in his pocket and be on his way. Instead, he reaches for the blue book sitting by it, fingers lightly tracing it’s spine. He'd chuck it out the window if he didn't already feel the smallest touch would cause it to unbound. The knot in Natsu’s stomach spread into his throat as he pulls his hand back.

Stupid Gray and his stupid mess up and stupid Natsu and his big fat mouth and his blind faith. 

He wasn’t Juvia’s family. 

He wasn’t her lover.

He's her friend. 

It didn't matter how she'd been in his mind twenty four seven as of late, and it didn't matter that his heart raced in her pressence, the same way it didn't matter that he longed to know what it was like to kiss her.

He's just her friend... who shamelessly fell for her as she dealt with a break up.

But that didn’t matter right now.

Natsu smacks his cheeks a couple times, forcing himself to snap out of his funk. Wallowing wouldn’t help at all, tonight or ever, and it’s not like he regretted liking Juvia. Liking Juvia was fun; it was a new and shiny feeling he craved more of like candy.

He snatches the book up – fuck the fragility Natsu gave it – and flips through a couple chapters before finding what he’s looking for. 

Natsu wasn’t a reader by nature – his attention span wasn’t built for sitting still for long periods of time – and he’d been even less thrilled to open it after Gray had chucked the book with metal detailings at his forehead yesterday. Still, Natsu read the whole thing after slapping on a cooling patch, his foot bouncing insistently the whole time. 

The first chapters were history, data, and facts, whilst the ones towards the end were miscellaneous details or referential stories. The middle chapters were the ceremony themselves and those were the ones that he’d been revisiting and meticulously revising since earlier today.  He’d even reread other sections to double check he didn’t miss anything, after which he’d concluded with certainty that there was no mention of non-family members reciting the spell.

For that matter, there were also no mentions of the reciter _being_ family either.

Natsu's fingerprints mark the pages, his hands sweaty as they rest atop the opened book. Worries still buzz around him, and while he knows the less he dwells on them the less they affect him, that's easier said than done. He also knows when something's too grand to take on by himself. 

And this night was more than he could face alone.

Three quick knocks on his door break the silence of his home.

Stomach mixing stress and thrills into one, Natsu huffs out what he hopes is the last of his reservations. He pockets the gift box within his coat's pocket with care so as to not crinkle the silver ribbon. He checks himself in the window; his gaze assured and his breathing no longer trembles at every intake.

He’ll make it work.

_ It has to. _

* * *

The air smelled pleasantly of wet grass, melting wax, and freshly picked flowers. The subtle warmth provided by the myriad of candles inside the tent was nice in comparison to the still and cool night. The loud murmur of conversations overpowered the music that played, and the faint clinking of silverware on glass or porcelain echoed every now and then throughout the space.

Everything felt nice;  like it would be okay.

Juvia smiles softly over her glass, scanning for her friends as they enjoyed themselves outside the guild. Levy and Mira were laughing along to whatever Erza was saying, Jelal standing close by with a soft look as he listened in. Happy danced around with Wendy, flying a little higher than Wendy was taller to spin the small girl as they swayed to the beat. Carla hover close by, clapping along excitedly.

_ If it could stay this way then Juvia would be more than happy _ .

But she knew that wasn't feasible. Juvia wasn’t deaf; it was easy to pick up on how excited everyone was about the ceremony, not to mention how they were expecting something grand. Conversations and gazes would drift her way more often than not, and she knew it was a matter of minutes before she had no choice but to attempt the ritual alone or come clean.

Neither seemed any better than the other.

It’s not that Juvia didn’t trust Natsu – she was certain the note and the daisy were from him – but her stomach frenzied every time she found herself momentarily alone. He wasn’t even here, not as far as she could tell, and Juvia had never been the type to sit and wait without fidget.

She tilts her head back to look at the moon through the tent’s opening. In a few more moments she’d have to step up to the centered stage and fess up. 

A breathy, shaky sigh escapes her lips as she sinks into her chair. Juvia tugs her sleeves to hide her hands, her fingers chilled and numb with worry. Her ankle brushes against her dress’s hemline as it bounces under the table.  _ Juvia trusts Natsu _ . That thought on repeat eases her once more because it’s true. 

Juvia has never trusted him more than she does at this moment.

“WAIT!” 

The music screeches to a stop along with the chatter. By the tarp’s entrance, Natsu’s panting slightly, his face a little flushed as he catches his breath. He scans the room before straightening with a confused look. “Oh, it hasn’t started yet?”

“I fucking  _ told _ you there was no need to run!” Lucy smacks him with her purse as she enters behind him, also a little breathless. Her chest rises and falls, the material of her purple dress swishing as she moves. 

“I thought it had started already!”

“It’s still seven minutes to midnight.”

“It looked lined up from where we were.”

“You’re so stupid, I swear – .” She gulps as she tries to collect herself, leaning an elbow on Natsu's shoulder. “Where’s Gajeel?” She asks after a couple deep breaths.

“I thought he was behind us?”

“I wasn’t running in my dress shirt, I’m not a hooligan.” The aforementioned steps into the space in a crisp white button down and brown slacks. “Besides, we still had seven minutes.” Gajeel shrugs. Lucy smacks Natsu again.

He laughs, eyes searching through the crowd until they lock with Juvia’s. Natsu waves at her with a grin.

Slowly, she stands and makes her way over and offers a shy smile. Lucy flashes a bright one in return, bringing Juvia into a hug. Though it was clear they had sprinted, at least in the end, Lucy smells sweet like rosy perfume. Her skin was pleasantly warm rather than sticky with sweat. “Juvia’s glad all of you made it!” She tells her.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Lucy squeezes her once more. “What are friends for?” 

Juvia beams up at her, the blonde towering over her due to her heels. “Of course!”

“You’re in a good mood today.” Gajeel ruffles her hair playfully, his calloused fingers rubbing her scalp in a pleasant and familiar way. 

Juvia chuckles, pushing his hand off and attempting to fix her hair by brushing it behind her ears. “Juvia is happy to see Gajeel is all. And Lucy, too.”

“And me?” Natsu peeks bashfully from behind their larger friend. 

Juvia reaches to brush her fingers on his arm. “Of course Juvia is happy to see Natsu.”

Other friends trickled over slowly, unintentionally separating the four. 

Juvia took this moment to slip back to her seat by the stage. Her hand rests on the edge by the steps as her heart hammers in her chest. Her fingers tremble in spite of her tight grip on the wood. 

“Hey.” She can feel Natsu behind her before he speaks softly by her shoulder.

“Hi.”

“Are you excited?” His chin feels warm even through her sleeve.

“Nervous.”

“Don’t be.”

Juvia’s eyes trail back up to the moon. Likely less than a minute now before the moon started to set; less than a minute before she had to step on stage and perform the 19th Moon Ceremony. “How?”

“Please don’t be.” He rubs her arms reassuringly, offering that as comfort. It was easy to pick up on his own uneasiness, but his efforts to push his own turmoil aside for her sake made Juvia’s chest full. She tilts her head to the side, knocking into Natsu’s gently.

A chime resonates through the corners and nooks of the tent, after which guests make their way to their seats.  _ It is time _ .

She’s about to step up when Natsu grabs her by the wrist.

“Don’t be nervous.” He squeezes her gently. “I’ve gotchu.”

She nods because she knows it’s true.

Juvia takes a deep breath, rolling her shoulders back and kicking her shoes off before making her way up the stage’s stairs. Once centered, Juvia dips her hands into the tall stone basins where the Water Hawthorne and Water Lily floated in wait. Cool water drips through her fingers as she feels the roots slowly sink into her skin.

Juvia closes her eyes, her stomach tightening in anticipation. Multiple steps and a couple murmurs are heard before she feels warm hands cup her face. Her forehead touches Natsu’s – she can tell it's from the heat of the skin – and he releases a content sigh at the coolness of her own, the breath brushing her lips. 

“I’ve gotchu;” He repeats, low enough that she almost doesn’t hear him. “We’ve got you.”

Juvia’s feet leave the ground, like the sky is pulling her up by the tips of her toes. Her body liquifies, the roots of the flowers diving deeper through her arms like veins. They’re almost to her shoulders by the time she’s fully transformed, the only human trait remaining being her face. Natsu’s fingers dip into her at the edges of her scalp where she starts to unsolidify, and a shudder courses through her even though it shouldn't be possible. 

She can’t make out what Natsu is saying. Everything sounds muted or gargled as if her ears were submerged. The flowers feel heavier with every passing moment, blooming further and bigger than naturally possible. She fears they’ll slip through her hands any moment now. Their vine-like ends reach as far as where her spine is meant to end. Juvia’s body heats up, her stomach churning in slight pain as the temperature continues to increase. 

She’s never felt herself boil before – not like this. 

Though she’s not in her human body, it still feels as if her skin were raw and itchy. The bubbling throughout her liquid form is constant, and the only sound she can hear. The fears start to creep back in, and Juvia starts to hold her breath until she'd forced herself back to a concrete state. 

Natsu’s thumbs caress her lashes as they rest on her cheeks, her eyes still closed and her brows drawn. His nose rubs against hers slowly, and he’s close enough that she can feel every word he speaks on her lips. 

She releases the breath, feeling herself evaporate as she does. 

It’s a surprisingly pleasant sensation – like a sigh she’s held onto for too long or releasing a breath into a chilly night. The tension within her passes clean through, leaving a weighless feel in her being. The raging bubbling of boiling slowly comes to a stop too, the flowers retracting back to their original size by the time her body’s temperature returns to how it’d started.

As Juvia starts to solidify again, her hair spills onto her shoulders. Every limb feels light and sleepy, and she’s not entirely sure she can keep holding up the flowers nor that she can open her eyes. Her bare feet hit the ground with soft padding sounds, her dress swishing against the bridge of her feet as it settles.  _ Was Juvia’s dress always that long? _

Juvia’s eyes slowly flutter open. 

Natsu still cradles her face in his hands, his cheeks streaked wet. Behind him, with a hand on either of his shoulders, stand Gajeel and Lucy. All three are flushed and slightly out of breath, the pale glow of the moonlight making their skin glow. 

Natsu’s thumbs rub gentle circles on her temples, tickling the edges of her hair. “Hi.” He whispers into her cheeks in an overwhelmed chuckle, eyes crinkling and pooling fresh tears.

“Hey.” The greeting is hushed and tired, but upon hearing it, Natsu’s smile grows wider.

Applause and cheers erupt just as his nose bumps into hers when he laughs. Before Juvia can react, he’s enveloping her into a tight embrace, her grip on the flowers rendered meaningless at the impact. Though the buds fall to the ground when Natsu picks her up and she feels sluggish still, she tenderly wraps her arms around his neck and rests her chin on his shoulders.

He’s cackling loudly and jubiulously, swaying her as his fingers dig into her ribs from the hold he has on her. Lucy and Gajeel join in, their own giggling merging with his laughter. Lucy’s eyes sparkle as she cries with a dazzling smile on her lips, and though Gajeel does a better job at hiding it, Juvia doesn’t miss the glossiness in his gaze or the pink hue of his nose.

“How…?” Juvia’s voice is hoarse, and she’s unsure of whether Natsu heard her over the acclaims or even knows what she means.

“I told you we had you.” He squeezes her closer still.

Juvia’s vision blurs, her heart racing persistently against her chest as a flush and warm feelings envelop her body. She pulls away slightly to see his face better. Natsu’s grinning at her ear-to-ear, his eyes shining as he sets her down finally. His eyes are dark amber and red and beautiful – nothing else matters in that moment.

She kisses him.

It’s chaste with adrenaline and excitement, and it’s over almost as soon as she starts it. In her overjoyed daze, Juvia forgets to watch for Natsu's reaction, opting to rush over to Lucy and Gajeel instead. With a heartily laugh she throws her arms around their necks. Lucy babbles out questions about what she’s just witnessed but Gajeel only snickers as he rubs Juvia's back. Eventually, Lucy gives up her interrogation and hugs her back properly, pulling Juvia to her tiptoes in the process.

She’s aware of the confusion and surprise of the crowd, and of the fact that come tomorrow, or maybe as soon as she’s off the stage, she’ll have to answer every inquisition posed to her, and not just about the ceremony.

Yet as a warm hand presses softly into her back, asking for permission to pry her from the embrace, all Juvia cares about is the man holding her in his arms once again when he does.

* * *

Natsu tilts his head back on his chair, rocking on it a little so he can gaze at the stars from the tarp’s opening. His eyes burn from the late night and his cheeks hurt from the dumb smile he’s had since Juvia kissed him a couple hours ago.

He was so relieved to see her safe, sound, and – surprisingly – still so full of energy after the whole ordeal.

Natsu wasn’t a coward, he would never label himself as such, but holding Juvia in such a vulnerable state, watching the roots of the flowers absorb her and part of her body evaporating was… not an experience he wanted to repeat ever again, even if she seemed fine.

_ Albeit a little shorter, maybe. _

Relief washes over him once more at the realization that it was over and done with. He’s sort of convinced himself that the spell worked purely by chance or due to a happy accident. There had been no say in the book about more than one reciter – there’d only been a picture of a woman holding onto a man, like Natsu had to Juvia, with an additional girl behind them with her hands on the woman’s shoulders. 

It’d been a hunch he took a chance on, rushing over to Levy’s house and asking Gajeel to help him. Lucy had been there aswell, and to Natsu’s surprise had determinedly stated that she wanted to help; he was glad she had.

It was weird, feeling like your body’s being pulled away while remaining totally still, like the very blood in his veins now followed the same push and pull as the tide. Lucy and Gajeel’s own energy seemed to flow in through him and onto Juvia via the line of their arms, and the restraint it took to not grip Juvia too tightly when she first started to float away had left his arms stiff.

The 19th Moon Ceremony had felt eternal and all too quick simultaneously, and Natsu wasn’t entirely sure he or Gajeel, maybe even Lucy, could recite a single line from the chant now if asked.

But as his gaze makes his way over to Juvia, smiling and hugging guests farewell, none of that mattered anymore.

The tent is almost completely vacant, say for himself, a few stragglers wanting to say goodbye, and the people who were taking everything down. His eyes linger on Juvia the whole time, following her hands as she speaks to Lucy and Levy animatedly. Another sleepy smile tugs at the corners of his lips.

“So?” Gajeel pulls out the chair besides him.

“So.” Natsu grins at him.

“So are you gonna tell me why she kissed you?” Gajeel rolls his eyes. 

Natsu shrugs playfully. “Guess she must like me or something.”

“You’re a real pain in the ass, you know that?”

He laughs. “Okay, so how about ‘ _ I _ must like her or something’? Is that better?”

“So long as you like each other, I guess.” Gajeel mumbles. “Not that it’s any of my business.”

“I never pegged you for the protective, older brother type.” 

Gajeel only scuffs in response. “I’ll see you around.”

“Wait,” Natsu grabs him by the sleeve. “Thank you for helping me tonight. You’ve known Juvia the longest and maybe also the best out of everyone here. I’m not entirely sure I could’ve done it without you – and Lucy, of course, but… you know.”

“Give yourself a little credit, Salamander.” He claps the other on the back with a chuckle. “You said the thing only requires a deep bond right? After all, she kissed you and not me.” He waves before walking over to Levy, leaving with her and Lucy after ruffling Juvia’s hair once more.

Gajeel smiles as Juvia scolds after him, flattening her hair before turning to Natsu with a bashful smile. “Juvia can go home now!” She calls him.

“I’ll walk you!” Natsu bounces out of the chair, coat in hand as he makes his way to her. 

“Okay.” Juvia grins.

The night has grown darker still beyond the candle lit space, the stars littering the sky persisting into the early morning. Chilly wind curls around them as they walk, making Juvia visibly shudder besides him.

“Here.” Natsu drapes his goat over her shoulders. “You can put your arms in if you want, though it might be big on you.”

“Thank you,” She slips on the sleeves, her fingers fully engulfed with length to spare. “Juvia feels much warmer already.” 

“No problem.”

“Oh, what is this?” From the pocket of his coat, Juvia pulls out the navy box with a slightly folded ribbon. _Oh, my god…_ Natsu feels his cheeks up as he snatches the box away. “Wha– ” 

“It’s nothing.” He holds it behind his back. He forgot to give her the necklace.

_ Am I really that stupid? _

“Let Juvia see!”

“Nope.”

She giggles as she tries to take the box back, leading to her arms circling his waist in a failed attempt to corner his hands. Natsu stands tall, holding the present above his head. Though Juvia pulls herself up by his shoulder, fingers outstretched and on the tips of her toes, she’s not even close to touching the box.

“Juvia does not remember Natsu being so tall.” She huffs, attempting to hop in a ditch attempt, but Natsu’s hold on his coat by her hips keeps her in place. “Unfair.”

“It’s not my fault tradition calls for you to sacrifice a few inches.” He smirks, chuckling at her bewildered expression.

“Ehh? Did that really happen? Did Juvia really shrink?”

“I mean you do look shorter from here, but you’ve always been shorter than me.”

“Yes, but Natsu was not  _ that _ much taller! Plus, Juvia’s body is not supposed to be affected when she uses water.”

He blinks down at her. “Did you, like,  _ not _ read the book?” 

“Juvia did! She, uh, must have missed that somehow!” She pouts as he laughs. “It is not funny!”

“It’s a little funny.” He steps away from her slightly, bringing the arm that held onto the box between them. “But since I do feel bad that you’re a midget nowc– ” 

“Still not funny.”

“ – I’ll show you what’s in the box, deal?”

She nods eagerly, watching impatiently as he took his time undoing the bow. His stomach threatens to empty, but he manages to keep his hands from shaking as he pulls the lid off. Juvia’s brows rise as she lets out a small gasp.

“Natsu, it is beautiful.” Her eyes twinkle, reflecting the small ruby pendant within them. “Is…?”

“Yeah,” He feels a little breathless watching her rosy nose and cheeks, her bluebell eyes, her wide warm smile. “Can I…?”

He feels a little silly, child-like almost, not being able to finish his sentences either, but Juvia’s delighted twirl as she moves her hair from her neck reassures him. His fingers graze her neck as he clasps the necklace on her, her skin cool to his touch as usual. She sighs when his hands leave the nape of her neck.

Juvia faces him once more, looking bashful and

“Beautiful.”

Though she seems caught off guard for a moment, Juvia doesn’t hesitate to giggle before wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him down towards her. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“For the necklace?” His arms make their way inside his coat to rest on the small of her back.

“For everything, Natsu.” She squeezes him closer. “For looking out for Juvia and staying by her side when she was hurting. And for sticking around even when she was not giving Natsu the same amount of attention and care.” Her fingers dig into the lace on his shoulders. “In such a short amount of time, Natsu has made a place for himself in Juvia’s heart, and Juvia’s world has since become so much brighter.”

_ I like you, Gods, I like you so much.  _ “Juvia?”

“Natsu?”

“Why did you kiss me?”

He feels the rise and fall of her chest against his own, and he’s unsure of whose heart is the one thumping painfully loud in his ears. It feels as if they’ll both freeze in the night air or the sun will finally rise before either of them move.

Juvia pulls away first, hands interlocked behind his neck as she touches her cold forehead to his clammy one. “What does Natsu think?” Her eyes pierce through him, pulling for an answer that Natsu feels she only wants confirmation for.

“Because you like me?” He whispers to her.

“Ju…  _ I _ do.” Her voice is small and shy and it tugs at his heartstrings. “Do you like me too?” 

His face is flushing, he’s sure of it, as he nods vigorously, excitedly, and she laughs so he doesn’t care. “I like you so much, Juvia, I do.” 

Juvia’s lips are also cold, but they’re soft as they chastely press to his own. “Is it too soon?” She asks, searching once more for an answer but looking unsure as to what it is this time.

As a response, Natsu cups her face to bring her in for a proper kiss, warmth spreading through his body like electricity. “It wasn't soon enough.” He kisses her again.

And again.

And again.

He kisses her until she too is holding onto his face, thumbs tracing the shell of his ear and fingers in his hair. Juvia bounces slightly, falling and rising back onto the tips of her toes to kiss him back, and he draws her back every time because Natsu can’t get enough. If he could hold his breath long enough to kiss her for forever he would.

But Natsu is only human – sort of.

When he pulls away, Juvia’s smiling at him, her eyes crescent moons as she laughs with her mouth behind her hands, and Natsu joins in, his face still warm and his heart still racing. The sky isn’t as dark as before, though he’s unsure if that's just him, but the frosty bite of the air has increased, especially now that Juvia’s stepped back.

He’s dramatic, he knows this; he can over react and make a big deal out of anything without effort, it was something everyone at the guild knew and recognized. This wasn’t an ‘anything’ though – it bordered on ‘everything’ and it was scary how suddenly that had happened. 

_ But when have I ever let fear stop me before? _

“I want to see you again.”

“Juvia’s still here.” She snickers.

“Then,  _ when _ can I see you again?”

“Hmm,” Juvia rests her chin between her pointer finger and thumb, the sleeve of his coat sliding down her wrist. “Juvia is unsure; she is very busy, you know?” She smirks.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to walk you home – help you arrange your schedule and whatnot.” Natsu shrugs.

“Juvia supposes that would be fine.” She slips his arm between her own, intertwining her fingers with his hand and resting her other hand over them. “Cold hands.” She sticks her tongue out at him.

“The coldest.” He pecks the top of her head with a snort.

Maybe it really was him, but as Natsu walks Juvia home, running his thumb over her knuckles, everything around him looks so much brighter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you soooooo much to those who came on this re-write journey with me!!!  
> whether this was your first time reading this fic or you came from reading the og/read the og at some point, having you read this and leave kudos or comments makes me so happy!!!  
> I hope you guys enjoyed the story and hopefully you'll come back to my stuff next time as well ^ ^
> 
> Next Up: a one-shot Kakegurui   
> (im still not finished with my longer tsukiyama fic, maybe i'll try to make some progress with it before posting the kake fic, but if anything i have an idea for a oneshot for tkym too so we shall see ehehehe)


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